bioarchaeology

noun

bio·ar·chae·ol·o·gy ˌbī-(ˌ)ō-ˌär-kē-ˈä-lə-jē

: the scientific study of human biological remains (such as bones) from archaeological sites

Extrapolating from hard evidence drawn from human remains to conclusions about how people lived is at the heart of bioarchaeology …—

James Gorman, New York Times, 18 Dec. 2012

Most bioarchaeology studies tend to tell the tale of illness and death of people from a single site, such as a burial pit for plague victims or an ancient cemetery.—

Ann Gibbons, Science, 1 May 2009

bioarchaeological

ˌbī-(ˌ)ō-ˌär-kē-ə-ˈlä-ji-kəl

adjective

bioarchaeological research

a bioarchaeological analysis

bioarchaeologist

ˌbī-(ˌ)ō-ˌär-kē-ˈä-lə-jist

noun

plural bioarchaeologists

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of bioarchaeology was in 1972

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bioarchaeology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bioarchaeology. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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