paleoanthropology

[ pey-lee-oh-an-thruh-pol-uh-jee or, especially British, pal-ee- ]

noun
  1. the study of the origins and predecessors of the present human species, using fossils and other remains.

Origin of paleoanthropology

1
First recorded in 1915–20; paleo- + anthropology

Other words from paleoanthropology

  • pa·le·o·an·thro·pol·o·gist, noun
  • pa·le·o·an·thro·po·log·i·cal [pey-lee-oh-an-thruh-puh-loj-i-kuhl or, especially British, pal-ee-], /ˌpeɪ li oʊˌæn θrə pəˈlɒdʒ ɪ kəl or, especially British, ˌpæl i-/, adjective

Words Nearby paleoanthropology

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use paleoanthropology in a sentence

Scientific definitions for paleoanthropology

paleoanthropology

[ pā′lē-ō-ăn′thrə-pŏlə-jē ]


  1. The scientific study of extinct members of the genus Homo sapiens by means of their fossil remains.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.