Main Entry: pa·le·on·tol·o·gy

Pronunciation: \ˌpā-lē-ˌän-ˈtä-lə-jē, -ən-, especially British ˌpa-\

Function: noun

Etymology: French paléontologie, from palé- pale- + Greek onta existing things (from neuter plural of ont-, ōn, present participle of einai to be) + French -logie -logy — more at is

Date: 1837

: a science dealing with the life of past geological periods as known from fossil remains

— pa·le·on·to·log·i·cal \-ˌän-tə-ˈlä-ji-kəl\ also pa·le·on·to·log·ic \-jik\ adjective

— pa·le·on·tol·o·gist \-ˌän-ˈtä-lə-jist, -ən-\ noun