'paleontology' originates from Greek elements, specifically 'palaios', 'ontos' and 'logia', where 'palaios' meant 'ancient', 'ontos' meant 'being' and 'logia' meant 'study'.

'paleontology' was influenced by the French word 'paléontologie' and the New Latin formation in the 19th century, and it eventually became the modern English word 'paleontology'.

Initially, the parts combined to mean 'the study of ancient beings', but over time the term came to be used specifically for the scientific study of ancient life through fossils.