Paleoseismic is an adjective used to describe the study of prehistoric earthquakes through geological evidence. The word "paleoseismic" can be interchanged with several synonyms, which describe the same phenomenon. Some synonyms of paleoseismic include seismotectonic, neotectonic, and earthquake geology. These terms are used by geologists and seismologists to study the seismic activity that occurred in an area before instrumental recordings became available. Other related words that can be used to describe this field of study include neoseismology, paleoearthquakes, and paleoseismology. Each of these terms is used to study the cause, effect, and history of earthquakes, and the methods used to mitigate damages caused by these natural disasters.