paleontologist

American  

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

noun

paleontologists plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• paleontologists
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

paleontologist paleontologists

His portrayal of a paleontologist suddenly discovering that the creatures he’s studied in rock and bone have come to life is just masterful.

From Slate ● Jul. 13, 2026

But his highest level of fame came from playing a thoughtful paleontologist summoned to an island off Costa Rica full of cloned dinosaurs in “Jurassic Park” in 1993.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

John Long, an Australian paleontologist who has also done extensive research in this field, called the study "quite outstanding."

From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026

Researchers chose the name Tylosaurus rex as a tribute to paleontologist John Thurmond.

From Science Daily ● May 23, 2026

Meanwhile Ranzi went on to become a well-respected paleontologist, most recently at the Federal University of Acre, in Rio Branco.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Tuesday's purchase by an anonymous buyer highlights a surging market for dinosaur bones -- a trend that has drawn criticism from some paleontologists over the specimens going into private hands.

From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026

The higher prices helped reshape the market, encouraging more fossils to come up for sale while giving commercial paleontologists more resources to fund costly and yearslong digs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

The fossil nests were named Osnidum almontei in honor of Juan Almonte Milan, who first identified the cave and has spent decades studying the region as one of Hispaniola's leading paleontologists.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 5, 2026

The study involved paleontologists from Flinders University and Canterbury Museum, as well as volcanologists Joel Baker of the University of Auckland and Simon Barker of Victoria University of Wellington.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 23, 2026

It was before the beginning of history, so paleontologists have had to piece together the tale of the birth of mathematics from bits of stone and bone.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife