palynology

American  

[pal-uh-nol-uh-jee] / ˌpæl əˈnɒl ə dʒi /

noun

1. the study of live and fossil spores, pollen grains, and similar plant structures.

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palynology British  

/ ˌpælɪˈnɒlədʒɪ, ˌpælɪnəˈlɒdʒɪkəl /

noun

1. the study of living and fossil pollen grains and plant spores

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palynology Scientific  

/ păl′ə-nŏl′ə-jē /

1. The scientific study of spores and pollen, both living and fossilized. Palynology helps improve knowledge of ecosystems in both the recent and distant past, since pollen and spores are extremely durable, unlike many other plant parts.

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Other Word Forms

• palynological adjective
• palynologically adverb
• palynologist noun

Etymology

Origin of palynology

1940–45; < Greek palýn ( ein ) to sprinkle, scatter (akin to pálē dust, Latin pollen; pollen ) + -o- + -logy

Example Sentences

Estella Leopold specialized in the study of pollen, known as palynology, especially in the fossilized form.

From Seattle Times

She then studied for a botany degree, becoming a lecturer and expert in palynology - the study of pollen and spores.

From BBC

A relatively abstruse area of research to begin with, palynology produces few graduates, and Laurence and Ferguson said most PhD candidates are immediately hired by oil companies.

From Washington Post

His mentor, Vaughn Bryant, began promoting forensic palynology in the 1970s, after learning about its application in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

From Washington Post

Bryant said he got little traction promoting the law enforcement potential for forensic palynology until the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, then spent a decade analyzing samples for U.S. intelligence agencies.

From Washington Post