Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The branch of zoology that deals with reptiles and amphibians.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The science of reptiles, in a broad sense —that is, of reptiles proper and batrachians; the natural history of reptiles.
  • noun Reptiles collectively: as, the herpetology of Borneo.
  • noun Also, erroneously, erpetology.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The natural history of reptiles; that branch of zoölogy which relates to reptiles, including their structure, classification, and habits.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The branch of biology dealing with reptiles (Reptilia) or amphibians.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the branch of zoology concerned with reptiles and amphibians

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Greek herpeton, reptile (from herpein, to creep) + –logy.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Ancient Greek ἑρπετόν (herpeton, "reptile") + -logy (suffix indicating a field of study or work)

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Examples

  • So even today, people interested in herpetology are afflicted with the most basic of problems: a lack of the right kind of literature.

    Harduns and toad-heads; a tale of arenicoly and over-looked convergence Darren Naish 2006

  • So even today, people interested in herpetology are afflicted with the most basic of problems: a lack of the right kind of literature.

    Archive 2006-12-01 Darren Naish 2006

  • I was bit by a snake at the woodshed and I dare anyone to claim I am not deserving of an honorary degree in herpetology.

    McCain, Supporters Slam Clark and Obama Campaign - The Caucus Blog - NYTimes.com 2008

  • He went on to talk about his work, and clarified that while he was an expert in herpetology, this had nothing to do with STDs, but in fact, amphibians and reptiles.

    Puttin' on the Ritz With Dinosaurs 2011

  • Experts have found 300 dead frogs and believe hundreds more have perished since the fungus surfaced in late February, said Gerardo Garcia, director of the herpetology department at the British-based Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.

    Fleeing Frogs from Montserrat 2009

  • Lee Fitzgerald, a herpetology professor at Texas A&M University who has studied the lizard since 1994, said the lizard population has declined in areas crisscrossed with roads and oil-well pads.

    Reptile Roils Oil Patch Ana Campoy 2011

  • Lee Fitzgerald, a herpetology professor at Texas A&M University who has studied the lizard since 1994, said the lizard population has declined in areas crisscrossed with roads and oil-well pads.

    Reptile Roils Oil Patch Ana Campoy 2011

  •            Neither herpetology or other of life's more studied reflections for this hurried pilgrim, not yet anyway.

    Ecce viator : Behold the Traveler 2010

  • As Spooky took a couple of photos, it suddenly occurred to me that it wasn't an eel, at all, or any oother sort of fish, but an animal I'd not seen since college, some twenty years ago, when I was taking herpetology and ecology classes.

    The Whore's Daughter greygirlbeast 2008

  • P.S. I've studied herpetology (seriously) for over a decade, including writing journal articles and working for two years at a zoo.

    Puff This! 2008

Comments

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  • Overheard today. Friend: "Is herpetology the study of snakes?"

    Other friend: "Yes. Not to be confused with the study of herpes."

    April 20, 2008

  • A good candidate, I think, for "Not as bad as it sounds" or however that list was. The two words, however, do derive from the same Greek for "creeping".

    July 4, 2011