noun
- a scientist who studies fossils and ancient life forms to understand the history of life on Earth
Usage: Also spelled 'paleontologist' in U.S. English; Chiefly British spelling: palaeontologist
Examples
- The palaeontologist carefully excavated the dinosaur bones from the rock layer.
- Dr. Chen is a renowned palaeontologist who has discovered several new species of ancient fish.
- Palaeontologists use radiometric dating to determine the age of fossils.
- She decided to become a palaeontologist after visiting a natural history museum as a child.
- The team of palaeontologists published their findings about early human ancestors in a major journal.
- Palaeontologists study trace fossils like footprints and burrows to learn about ancient animal behavior.