Paleontology Vocabulary

Prehistoric

• Relating to the time before written history

• A period characterized by the use of metal tools

• The era of the dinosaurs

• A time when humans first developed agriculture

Fossils

• Preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms

• Modern-day organisms

• Artificially created specimens

• Living organisms in their natural habitat

Plumage

• A bird’s layer of feathers

• A type of fruit

• A kind of tree

• A method of flight

Hypothesis

• A proposed explanation made as a starting point for investigation

• A definitive conclusion based on extensive research

• An assumption made without evidence

• A random guess about an outcome

Oversimplifying

• Making something seem simpler than it really is

• Complicating a situation unnecessarily

• Ignoring important details

• Presenting information in a confusing manner

Adaptability

• The ability to adjust to new conditions

• The ability to remain unchanged in any situation

• The ability to ignore external factors

• The ability to predict future events

Intrigued

• Strongly interested or fascinated

• Bored and uninterested

• Confused and perplexed

• Indifferent and apathetic

Speculate

• To form a theory or guess without complete evidence

• To make a definitive conclusion based on facts

• To ignore evidence and make assumptions

• To analyze data thoroughly before making a decision

Plausible

• Seeming reasonable or likely to be true

• Completely false or untrue

• Difficult to understand or interpret

• Highly unlikely or improbable

Notion

• A physical object

• An idea, belief, or opinion

• A scientific theory

• A mathematical equation