biostratigraphy

noun

bio·​stra·​tig·​ra·​phy ˌbī-ō-strə-ˈti-grə-fē 

1

: the identification of fossils found within sedimentary rock strata as a method of determining the relative geologic age of the rock

also : the branch of paleontology involving such identification

2

: the arrangement of fossils in rock strata

biostratigraphic

ˌbī-ō-ˌstra-tə-ˈgra-fik

adjective

Examples of biostratigraphy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Outside of the Bighorn Basin, however, biostratigraphy becomes more difficult. —Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 26 June 2025

Lucas has spent 30 years assembling his own Triassic timeline using biostratigraphy. —Douglas Fox, Discover Magazine, 2 Apr. 2015

Paleontologists still commonly use biostratigraphy to date fossils, often in combination with paleomagnetism and tephrochronology. —Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 31 May 2016

Researchers also used biostratigraphy, which is the study of how fossils appear, proliferate and disappear throughout the rock record, to establish relative ages. —Erin Dimaggio, Smithsonian, 13 June 2019

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for biostratigraphy

• stratigraphy