Paleozoologists

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A branch of science focusing on the study of ancient animal life through fossil records
2. Experts who investigate the remains of prehistoric animals to understand past ecosystems and biodiversity
3. Scientists dedicated to examining and interpreting fossilized evidence of ancient fauna and their evolutionary history

Etymology: Paleozoologists are the scientists who study animals of the geological past, known mostly from fossils. The word is a plural noun, the form that refers to more than one such scientist, and it is built from two parts. The first, "paleo-", comes from Greek "palaios", meaning "old" or "ancient," and it appears in English compounds that concern deep time, such as "paleontology." The second part, "zoologist," is a specialist who studies animals, from Greek "zoion," meaning "animal." Joined together, the compound describes a zoologist whose field reaches back into the far geological past.

Synonyms: fossil zoologists, ancient animal scientists