Alpine orogeny refers to the mountain-building event that occurred in the European Alps during the Late Cretaceous and Paleogene periods. Some synonyms for Alpine orogeny include the Alpine orogen, the Alpine mountain-building event, the Alpine orogenetic period, and the Alpine orogenic cycle. Other related terms include the Variscan orogeny, which occurred in Europe during the Carboniferous and early Permian periods, and the Tethyan orogeny, which refers to the mountain-building events that occurred across the region spanning from southern Europe to southeast Asia during the Cretaceous and Paleogene periods.