taˈfänəmē, tə-, -mi noun
( -es -s )
Etymology: Greek taphē burial (akin to Greek thaptein to bury) + English -o- + -nomy — more at epitaph
: the study of the processes (as burial, decay, and preservation) that affect animal and plant remains as they become fossils ; also : the processes themselves
• taph·o·nom·ic ˌtafəˈnämik, -ēk adjective
• ta·phon·o·mist taˈfänəmə̇st, tə- noun