herpetology

noun

her·​pe·​tol·​o·​gy ˌhər-pə-ˈtä-lə-jē 

: a branch of zoology dealing with reptiles and amphibians

herpetological

ˌhər-pə-tə-ˈlä-ji-kəl 

adjective

herpetologist

ˌhər-pə-ˈtä-lə-jist 

noun

Examples of herpetology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Still, snakes may emerge during a winter warm spell to bask in the sun, said Greg Pauly, curator of herpetology at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. —Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026

Very little is known about the diet of the cape striped racer, says Adam Clause, collections manager for the NAT’s herpetology department. —Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2026

Genetic divergence thresholds are commonly used in herpetology and broader taxonomy to evaluate whether a population represents a distinct species or merely a variant within an existing one. —Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 25 Feb. 2026

Aboard the Kontiki Wayra, passengers can marvel at bioluminescent plankton during an eight-day foray along the wildlife-rich Osa Peninsula, while entomology and herpetology buffs can discover a mind-boggling array of species during a cruise on the Zafiro. —Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Greek herpeton quadruped, reptile, from neuter of herpetos crawling, from herpein

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for herpetology

• aetiology
• anthropology
• archaeology
• archeology
• audiology
• cardiology
• climatology
• cohomology
• cosmetology
• criminology
• demonology
• dermatology

Kids Definition

herpetology

noun

her·​pe·​tol·​o·​gy ˌhər-pə-ˈtäl-ə-jē 

: a branch of zoology dealing with reptiles and amphibians