Synonyms

paleontologist

American

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

noun

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.

Etymology

Origin of paleontologist

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

Explanation

A paleontologist is a scientist who studies fossils. If your basement is filled with fossils found while out on hikes, then you're an amateur paleontologist. Paleontology breaks down to the Greek for "ancient" (paleo), "being" (onto-), and "study" (-logy). A paleontologist tries to figure out how things were in ancient times by studying their remains in fossil traces. If you are obsessed with all things related to dinosaurs, becoming a paleontologist might make sense for you.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

If you’re a paleontologist, you probably know this.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

"I never would have imagined I'd come across such a spectacular discovery in the region where I live," said Milan-based paleontologist Cristiano Dal Sasso.

From BBC • Dec. 16, 2025

University of California, Berkeley paleontologist Juan Liu examined the Weberian apparatus in a newly described fossil fish and used its anatomy to update the timeline for how freshwater fish evolved.

From Science Daily • Nov. 3, 2025

They joined seismologist Lucy Jones, paleontologist Emily Lindsey, hypnotherapist Kerry Gaynor and other specialists on Mulaney’s guest couches, creating some unexpected pairings and unpredictable conversations.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2025

Or I could have learned a whole lot more about fossils and become a paleontologist.

From "My Life with the Chimpanzees" by Jane Goodall

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023