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
Examples of paleopathology in a Sentence
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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
The plague of Athens: epidemiology and paleopathology.
—Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 31 May 2016
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Katie Hunt, CNN, 13 Feb. 2020
The plague of Athens: epidemiology and paleopathology.
—Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 31 May 2016
Cite this Entry
“Paleopathology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paleopathology. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
paleopathology
noun
pa·leo·pa·thol·o·gy
variants
or chiefly British palaeopathology
plural paleopathologies
: a branch of pathology concerned with diseases of former times as determined especially from fossil or other remains
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