paleontology

/ˌpeɪli.ənˈtɒləd͡ʒi/

//ˌpeɪli.ənˈtɒləd͡ʒi// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"paleontology" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“paleontology” has 18 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #37,617. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#37,617
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
18
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The study of the forms of life existing in prehistoric or geologic times, especially as represented by fossils.

Corpus desk

Index EN-paleontology · paleontology · English

paleontology · rank #37,617 · 18 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #37,617
  • LEN-MEGA 12 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 18 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH palatine

Nearest frequency peer: palatine (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “paleontology”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “paleontology” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for paleontology
PropertyValue
Headwordpaleontology
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌpeɪli.ənˈtɒləd͡ʒi/
Letters12
Frequency rank#37,617
Misspellings tracked18
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “paleontology”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).paleontologylands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “palatine” (#37,616), “parabolic” (#37,618), “pail” (#37,615). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “paleontology” is #37,617. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 18 spelling variants around paleontology (IPA /ˌpeɪli.ənˈtɒləd͡ʒi/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #37,617 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Dominant gloss: "The study of the forms of life existing in prehistoric or geologic times, especially as represented by fossils.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 18 likely wrong-spelling variants for paleontology, with forms such as "apleontology", "paelontology", and "palenotology". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: Attested since 1836 (as palæontology). From French paléontologie (attested since 1822). By surface analysis, paleo- (“ancient”) + onto- (“being”) + -logy (“study”). The correct English form is paleontology, spelled P-A-L-E-O-N-T-O-L-O-G-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    The study of the forms of life existing in prehistoric or geologic times, especially as represented by fossils.

Etymology

Attested since 1836 (as palæontology). From French paléontologie (attested since 1822). By surface analysis, paleo- (“ancient”) + onto- (“being”) + -logy (“study”).

This word in other languages

paleontología(Español)paléontologie(Français)Paläontologie(Deutsch)paleontologia(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • apleontology
  • paelontology
  • palenotology
  • paleonntology
  • paleonotlogy
  • paleontloogy
  • paleontolgoy
  • paleontollogy
  • paleontologgy
  • paleontologyy
  • paleontoloyg
  • paleontoolgy
  • paleonttology
  • paleotnology
  • palleontology
  • paloentology
  • plaeontology
  • ppaleontology

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of paleontology - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

apleontology2paelontology2palenotology2paleonntology1paleonotlogy2paleontloogy2paleontolgoy2paleontollogy1
Edit distance from "paleontology"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "paleontology"?
"paleontology" is spelled P-A-L-E-O-N-T-O-L-O-G-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌpeɪli.ənˈtɒləd͡ʒi/.
What does "paleontology" mean?
As a noun, "paleontology" means: The study of the forms of life existing in prehistoric or geologic times, especially as represented by fossils.
What are common misspellings of "paleontology"?
Common misspellings include "apleontology", "paelontology", "palenotology", "paleonntology", "paleonotlogy". The correct spelling is "paleontology".
How do you pronounce "paleontology"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "paleontology" is /ˌpeɪli.ənˈtɒləd͡ʒi/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "paleontology"?
Attested since 1836 (as palæontology). From French paléontologie (attested since 1822). By surface analysis, paleo- (“ancient”) + onto- (“being”) + -logy (“study”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "paleontology", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 12 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

preservative#37,637neoclassical#37,590rejuvenation#37,655magnificence#37,554

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (18 here; floor ≥5).

provisionally18 variantsSchenectady18 variantssubmersible18 variantsunfavourable18 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list