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Glite Dictionary
fossilist

fossilist

9.8
A person who studies fossils
  • noun
  • /ˈfɑːsɪlɪst/
  • Specialized
translation icon : fósilista
  • The museum invited a renowned fossilist to give a lecture on dinosaur evolution.

Examples

  • The fossilist devoted her career to uncovering prehistoric marine life.

  • As an amateur fossilist, he spent weekends searching for trilobites in the cliffs.

  • A fossilist discovered a new species of dinosaur.

  • Many fossilists attended the conference last week.

  • As an amateur fossilist, he spent weekends searching for trilobites in the cliffs.

  • The fossilist devoted her career to uncovering prehistoric marine life.

  • The museum invited a renowned fossilist to give a lecture on dinosaur evolution.

Synonyms

paleontologist
vsfossilist
  • Specialized
21 8.2

A scientist who studies fossils of ancient animals and plants

is a broader and less technical term for that scientific role
paleobiologist
vsfossilist
  • Specialized
1 8.9

A scientist who studies ancient life by looking at fossils

focuses mainly on fossils rather than on broader geological evidence
paleoanthropologist
vsfossilist
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A scientist who studies early humans from old bones and tools

specializes generally in fossils across many organisms rather than only humans
paleobotanist
vsfossilist
  • Specialized
1 9.5

A scientist who studies plant fossils from long ago

focuses on fossils generally rather than only plant remains
paleopathologist
vsfossilist
  • Specialized
9.9

A scientist who studies diseases in ancient human or animal bones

focuses on fossils broadly rather than on disease or injury analysis

Surface Forms

fossilist singular
fossilists plural

Morphology

fossilist = fossil (transparent) = fossil + ist

Standard agentive formation from 'fossil' + '-ist' yields 'a person who studies or specializes in fossils', which is directly inferable.

Etymology

The word fossilist comes from the common word fossil, which comes from an old Latin word fodere meaning 'to dig', plus the ending -ist meaning 'person who'. So a fossilist is 'a person who digs up' ancient remains, which is why the word means someone who studies fossils.