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Paleontology: meaning, definitions and examples

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paleontology

 

[ ˌpeɪlɪɒnˈtɑlədʒi ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

study of fossils

Paleontology is the scientific study of fossils to understand the history of life on Earth. It involves excavating, analyzing, and interpreting fossil remains to reconstruct past environments and the evolution of organisms.

Synonyms

fossil study, paleobiology

Examples of usage

  • Paleontology helps us understand how ancient organisms lived and evolved.
  • The paleontologist discovered a new species of dinosaur through careful excavation.
  • Fossils collected by paleontologists provide valuable insights into prehistoric ecosystems.

Translations

Translations of the word "paleontology" in other languages:

🇵🇹 paleontologia

🇮🇳 जीवाश्मविज्ञान

🇩🇪 Paläontologie

🇮🇩 paleontologi

🇺🇦 палеонтологія

🇵🇱 paleontologia

🇯🇵 古生物学 (こせいぶつがく)

🇫🇷 paléontologie

🇪🇸 paleontología

🇹🇷 paleontoloji

🇰🇷 고생물학 (gosaengmulhak)

🇸🇦 علم الحفريات

🇨🇿 paleontologie

🇸🇰 paleontológia

🇨🇳 古生物学 (gǔshēngwùxué)

🇸🇮 paleontologija

🇮🇸 steingervingafræði

🇰🇿 палеонтология

🇬🇪 პალეონტოლოგია (p'aleontologia)

🇦🇿 paleontologiya

🇲🇽 paleontología

Word origin

The term 'paleontology' comes from the Greek words 'paleo' meaning ancient and 'logos' meaning study. The field of paleontology has a rich history dating back to the 17th century when fossils were first recognized as remnants of ancient life forms. Over the centuries, paleontology has contributed significantly to our understanding of the history of life on Earth.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #23,530, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.