Paleo- | Meaning Of Prefix Paleo- By Etymonline

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Origin and history of paleo-

paleo-

before vowels pale- word-forming element used in scientific combinations (mostly since c. 1870) meaning "ancient, early, prehistoric, primitive, fossil," from Latinized form of Greek palaios "old, ancient," from palai "long ago, far back" (from PIE root *kwel- (2) "far" in space or time).

also from c. 1870

Entries linking to paleo-

paleobotany(n.)

"study of extinct or fossil plants," 1872, from paleo- + botany.

Paleocene(adj.)

in reference to the geological epoch preceding the Eocene, 1874, from French paléocène, coined 1874 by French paleobotanist Wilhelm Philippe Schimper from paleo- + Latinized form of Greek kainos "new" (see recent), on model of earlier Miocene, Eocene, etc. It is, thus, the "old new" age.

• paleoclimatology
• paleogeomorphology
• paleolithic
• paleontology
• Paleozoic
• paleozoology
• *kwel-
• palaeo-
• See All Related Words (10)

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paleolithic"of or pertaining to the earlier Stone Age," 1865, coined by John Lubbock, later Baron Avebury (1834-1913), from paleo- + Greek lithos "stone" + -ic. Opposed to the neolithic, and supposedly characterized by less progress in methods of making tools and weapons from rough stone. Psalmonearly 13c., samoun, the North Atlantic salmon, from Anglo-French samoun, Old French salmun (Modern French saumon), from Latin salmonem (nominative salmo) "a salmon," probably originally "leaper," from salire "to leap" (see salient (adj.)), though some dismiss this as folk etymolotitanearly 15c., from Latin titan, from Greek titan, "a member of a mythological race of giants" (originally six sons and six daughters of Gaia and Uranus) who were overthrown by Zeus and the other gods. The war was a popular theme for Greek artists and writers. The name is perhaps frtuxedoman's evening dress for semiformal occasions, 1889, named for Tuxedo Park, N.Y., a rural resort development for wealthy New Yorkers and site of a country club where it first was worn, supposedly in 1886. The name is an attractive subject for elaborate speculation, and connectionsvehementearly 15c., from Old French vehement, veement "impetuous, ardent" (12c.), from Latin vehementem (nominative vehemens) "impetuous, eager, violent, furious, ardent, carried away," perhaps [Barnhart] from a lost present middle participle of vehere "to carry" (from PIE root *wegh- "tBabelcapital of Babylon, now a ruin near Hillah in Iraq, late 14c., from Late Latin, from Hebrew Babhel (Genesis xi), from Akkadian bab-ilu "Gate of God" (from bab "gate" + ilu "god"). The name is a translation of Sumerian Ka-dingir. The meaning "a confused medley of sounds" (1520s) iconquerc. 1200, cunquearen, "to achieve" (a task), from Old French conquerre "conquer, defeat, vanquish," from Vulgar Latin *conquaerere (for Latin conquirere) "to search for, procure by effort, win," from assimilated form of Latin com-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see com-), + quidleOld English idel "empty, void; vain; worthless, useless," from Proto-West Germanic *idla- (source also of Old Saxon idal, Old Frisian idel "empty, worthless," Old Dutch idil, Old High German ital, German eitel "vain, useless, mere, pure"), a word of unknown origin. Subsequent devcategory1580s, in Aristotle's logic, "a highest notion," from French catégorie, from Late Latin categoria, from Greek katēgoria "accusation, prediction, category," verbal noun from katēgorein "speak against; to accuse, assert, predicate," from kata "down to" (or perhaps "against;" see carealearly 14c., "actually existing, having physical existence (not imaginary);" mid-15c., "relating to things" (especially property), from Old French reel "real, actual," from Late Latin realis "actual," in Medieval Latin "belonging to the thing itself," from Latin res "property, goo

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‘cite’Page URL:https://www.etymonline.com/word/paleo-CopyHTML Link:<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/paleo-">Etymology of paleo- by etymonline</a>CopyAPA Style:Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of paleo-. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved January 23, 2026, from https://www.etymonline.com/word/paleo-CopyChicago Style:Harper Douglas, "Etymology of paleo-," Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed January 23, 2026, https://www.etymonline.com/word/paleo-.CopyMLA Style:Harper, Douglas. "Etymology of paleo-." Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/paleo-. Accessed 23 January, 2026.CopyIEEE Style:D. Harper. "Etymology of paleo-." Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/paleo- (accessed January 23, 2026).CopyRemove AdsAdvertisement

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TrendingDictionary entries near paleo-

• palatinate
• palatine
• palaver
• palazzo
• pale
• paleo-
• paleobotany
• Paleocene
• paleoclimatology
• paleogeomorphology
• paleolithic

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