paleontologist

American  

[pey-lee-uhn-tol-uh-jist, pal-ee-] / ˌpeɪ li ənˈtɒl ə dʒɪst, ˌpæl i- /

noun

1. a scientist who specializes in the study of life forms that existed in previous geologic periods, as represented by their fossils.

   The education program manager for the museum has worked as a paleontologist, digging up dinosaur bones in Wyoming.

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Etymology

Origin of paleontologist

paleontolog(y) ( def. ) + -ist ( def. )

Example Sentences

The fossils were examined by paleontologists from Flinders University and Canterbury Museum, working alongside volcanologists Joel Baker from the University of Auckland and Simon Barker of Victoria University of Wellington.

From Science Daily

The study suggests that between 10 and 20 new species of foraminifera appeared within roughly 6,000 years of the impact, although paleontologists still debate exactly which fossils represent distinct species.

From Science Daily

Their research expands on decades of investigation by Flinders University paleontologists studying fossils from the famous Gogo Formation in northern Western Australia, as well as collaborations with scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

From Science Daily

For many years, paleontologists have studied annual growth rings preserved inside the fossilized leg bones of Tyrannosaurus rex.

From Science Daily

For nearly 150 years, paleontologists in this region have relied largely on surface collecting methods, which tend to yield larger fossils visible to the naked eye while tiny specimens remain hidden.

From Science Daily