paleopathology

noun

pa·​leo·​pa·​thol·​o·​gy ˌpā-lē-ō-pə-ˈthä-lə-jē 

-pa-ˈthä-,

 especially British  ˌpa-lē-

: a branch of pathology concerned with ancient diseases as evidenced especially in fossil or other remains

paleopathological

ˌpā-lē-ō-ˌpa-thə-ˈlä-ji-kəl 

adjective

paleopathologist

ˌpā-lē-ō-pə-ˈthä-lə-jist 

-pa-

noun

Examples of paleopathology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Kanam jaw, discovered in Kenya in 1932 by Louis Leakey, was my portal into the world of paleopathology and, in particular, the obscure sub discipline of paleo-oncology -- the search for the ancient roots of cancer. —George Johnson, Discover Magazine, 23 June 2013

The plague of Athens: epidemiology and paleopathology. —Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 31 May 2016

Like us, dinosaurs got sick but evidence of disease and infection in the fossil record -- a field known as paleopathology -- has been scant. —Katie Hunt, CNN, 13 Feb. 2020

Word History

Etymology

paleo- + pathology

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for paleopathology

• bacteriology
• biotechnology
• dialectology
• ecclesiology
• endocrinology
• epistemology
• geochronology
• geomorphology
• histopathology
• hydrogeology
• kinesiology
• meteorology

Medical Definition

paleopathology

noun

pa·​leo·​pa·​thol·​o·​gy

variants or chiefly British palaeopathology

-jē 

plural paleopathologies

: a branch of pathology concerned with diseases of former times as determined especially from fossil or other remains