Etymology

paleontology

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Today it means: The study of the forms of life existing in prehistoric or geologic times, especially as represented by fossils. Full definition →

French paléontologie
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The story

  1. French · derived frompaléontologie
  2. English todaypaleontology

Attested since 1836 (as palæontology). From French paléontologie (attested since 1822). By surface analysis, paleo- (“ancient”) + onto- (“being”) + -logy (“study”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.