Fossil Terminology

noun the scientific study of ancient life, especially through the examination of plant and animal fossils

• The study of fossils and ancient life forms is known as paleontology.
• I find paleontology to be really interesting because it involves studying dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures.
• Some people think paleontology is just digging up old bones, but it's much more than that.
• Exploring the depths of paleontology is like uncovering a hidden world full of ancient mysteries.

noun a fossilized mass of fecal matter

adjective pertaining to or resembling fecal matter

• The paleontologist discovered a cololite in the fossilized remains of a dinosaur.
• I heard that they found some cololite while digging in the backyard.
• Check out this cool cololite I found at the beach!
• Her words were like cololite, ancient remnants of a forgotten past.

noun a fossilized excrement

• The scientist discovered a rare enterolite specimen during the archaeological dig.
• Hey, check out this cool enterolite I found on the beach!
• That enterolite looks like a funky rock, dude.
• The enterolite symbolized a hidden treasure waiting to be unearthed.

noun a smooth, rounded stone that is swallowed by some animals to aid in the digestion process

• Gastroliths are often found in the digestive systems of certain animals to help with grinding food.
• I heard that some birds swallow gastroliths to help them digest their food better.
• Dude, did you know some dinosaurs used gastroliths as stomach rocks?
• The weight of his worry felt like a gastrolith in his stomach, heavy and unyielding.

noun A scientist who studies fossils to learn about organisms that lived in the past

• The paleontologist carefully excavated the dinosaur fossils from the dig site.
• My friend is studying to become a paleontologist and is obsessed with all things prehistoric.
• Some people think paleontologists just dig up old bones, but it's much more complex than that.
• As a paleontologist of human behavior, she was able to uncover the hidden truths of society.

adjective relating to the study of ancient life through fossils

• The paleontological research team discovered a new species of dinosaur in the fossil bed.
• I heard that the paleontological dig found some cool fossils out in the desert.
• Check out this sweet paleontological find we stumbled upon while hiking!
• Exploring the depths of history is like embarking on a paleontological journey through time.

noun a geological era that began 65 million years ago and continues to the present, characterized by the development of mammals and birds

• The Cenozoic era is also known as the Age of Mammals, spanning from 66 million years ago to the present.
• The Cenozoic era is when all the cool animals like mammoths and saber-toothed tigers lived.
• The Cenozoic era was like the ultimate party for mammals, they were living it up!
• The Cenozoic era was like the dawn of a new age for life on Earth, with so many evolutionary changes taking place.