The Pleistocene (, often colloquially referred to as the Ice Age) is the geological epoch which lasted from about 2,588,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the world's most recent period of repeated glaciations. The end of the Pleistocene corresponds with the end of the last glacial period and also with the end of the Paleolithic age used in archaeology.

The Pleistocene is the first epoch of the Quaternary Period or sixth epoch of the Cenozoic Era. In the ICS timescale, the Pleistocene is divided into four stages or ages, the Gelasian, Calabrian, Ionian and Tarantian. All of these stages were defined in southern Europe. In addition to this international subdivision, various regional subdivisions are often used.

Before a change finally confirmed in 2009 by the International Union of Geological Sciences, the time boundary between the Pleistocene and the preceding Pliocene was regarded as being at 1.806 million years Before Present (BP), as opposed to the currently accepted 2.588 million years BP: publications from the preceding years may use either definition of the period.

Charles Lyell introduced the term "pleistocene" in 1839 to describe strata in Sicily that had at least 70% of their molluscan fauna still living today. This distinguished it from the older Pliocene Epoch, which Lyell had originally thought to be the youngest fossil rock layer. He constructed the name "Pleistocene" ("Most New" or "Newest") from the Greek , "pleistos", "most", and , "kainos" (latinized as "cnus"), "new"; this contrasting with the immediately preceding Pliocene ("More New" or "Newer", from , "pleion", "more", and "kainos"; usual spelling: Pliocene), and the immediately subsequent Holocene ("wholly new" or "entirely new", from , "holos", "whole", and "kainos") epoch, which extends to the present time.

1. What time period is this article about?
2. What is it more commonly called?
3. How long ago did it start?
4. And when did it end?
5. What was the time before that called?
6. And the time period after?
7. How many stages does the Pleistocene have?
8. Is Ionian one of them?
9. In what location did these names come from?
10. What organization decided on the time boundary between it and Pliocene?
11. When did they do that?
12. When was the word first coined?
13. By whom?
14. To describe rock where?
15. What does Pleistocene mean literally?
16. And Pliocene?
17. And Holocene?
18. Which epoch are we in how?
19. Have there been more glaciations since the Ice Age?
20. What are the names of the four stages?

Numbered answers:
1. The Pleistocene.
2. The Ice Age.
3. 2,588,000 years ago.
4. 11,700 years ago.
5. The Pliocene.
6. Holocene.
7. Four .
8. Yes.
9. Southern Europe.
10. The International Union of Geological Sciences.
11. 2009.
12. 1839.
13. Charles Lyell.
14. Sicily.
15. "Most New."
16. "More New."
17. "Wholly new."
18. Holocene.
19. No.
20. Gelasian, Calabrian, Ionian and Tarantian.