Dictionary

etymology en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• ĕt'ĭ-mŏlʹə-jē (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˌetəˈmɔləd͡ʒi/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
• [ˌɛɾəˈmɒləd͡ʒi] (Canada)
• ĕt'ĭ-mŏlʹə-jē (India)
• [ˌeʈɪˈmɔləd͡ʒi] (India)
• ĕt'ə-mŏʹlə-jē (General-American)
• /ˌetɪˈmɒləd͡ʒi/ (India)
• /ˌɛtɪˈmɔləd͡ʒɪj/ (British, Southern, Standard)
• /ˌɛtəˈmɑləd͡ʒi/ (General-American)
• /ˌɛtɪˈmɒləd͡ʒi/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• ĕt'ə-mŏlʹə-jē (Australia, New-Zealand)
• [ˌeʈɪˈmaləd͡ʒi] (India)
• /ˌetəˈmɑləd͡ʒi/ (General-South-African)
• /ˌɛtəˈmɒləd͡ʒi/ (Canada)
• [ˌeɾəˈmɔləd͡ʒi] (Australia, New-Zealand)
• ĕt'ə-mŏlʹə-jē (General-South-African)
• [ˌɛɾəˈmɑləd͡ʒi] (General-American)
• ĕt'ə-mŏʹlə-jē (Canada)
• [ˌetɘˈmɑləd͡ʒi] (General-South-African)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *set-? Ancient Greek ἐτεός (eteós)der.? Ancient Greek ἔτυμος (étumos) Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *lóǵos Proto-Hellenic *lógos Ancient Greek λόγος (lógos) Ancient Greek -λογος (-logos) Ancient Greek ἐτῠμόλογος (etŭmólogos) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā) Ancient Greek ἐτῠμολογῐ́ᾱ (etŭmologĭ́ā)bor. Latin etymologiader. Old French ethimologiebor. Middle English ethymologie English etymology From Middle English ethymologie, from Old French ethimologie, from Latin etymologia, from Ancient Greek ἐτυμολογία (etumología), from ἔτυμον (étumon, “true sense”) and -λογία (-logía, “study or logic of”), from λόγος (lógos, “word; explanation”). By surface analysis, etymo- + -logy.

Meanings

1. (uncountable) The scientific study of the origin and evolution of a word's semantic meaning across time, including its constituent morphemes and phonemes.
   • Holonyms: historical linguistics < linguistics
2. (countable) The entire catalogue of meanings that a word, morpheme, or sign has carried throughout its history.
   • Although written the same, the words lead (the metal) and lead (the verb) have totally different etymologies.
   • The etymology of the term Japlish is disputed and contentiously so. 2018, James Lambert, “A multitude of ‘lishes’: The nomenclature of hybridity”, in English World-Wide, page 13:
3. (countable) An account of the origin and historical development of a word as presented in a dictionary or the like.
   • I began to study coats of arms, visit the Web sites of portrait galleries and look up the etymology of Gaelic names. 2012 August 13, Leslie Larson, “Up a family tree”, in CNN:
   • Etymologies appeal to people with a very wide variety of interests and intellectual backgrounds. A very few people, such as myself, spend most of their time researching etymologies. A slightly larger number do so very occasionally. Many, many more people look at etymologies, but have never researched any themselves. Some people will never even have thought of etymologies as things which need to be researched. Particularly when etymologies are encountered in the compressed form found in many dictionaries, they can seem to be a given, rather than the (often very tentative) results of extensive research. This book is intended for anyone who has taken the important first step of realizing that etymologies are the result of research, and would like to discover something about the nature of that research, and the principles and methodologies which underlie it. 2011 [2009], Philip Durkin, “About this book”, in The Oxford Guide to Etymology, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page ix:
   • Where did this name Harlequin (or Arlechin) come from? Most etymologies for the name give the Hellequin theory. 2023 July 2, Talia Felix, “Homing in on Harlequin”, in Online Etymology Dictionary:
4. (countable) The direct origin of a name, as in who someone was named after.
   • I'm sure you know the etymology of your name, Goodspeed. 1996, The Rock:

Forms

Deriveds

etymologick · etymologic · etymologism · popular etymology · etymologyless · etymologise · surface etymology · folk etymology · etymological · etymythology · paraetymology · global etymology · pseudoetymology · misetymology

Hyponyms

onomastics

Relateds

aetiology (Similarly named but unrelated fields) · etymon · ethnology (Similarly named but unrelated fields) · ethology (Similarly named but unrelated fields) · etymologize · etiology (Similarly named but unrelated fields) · etymologist · entomology (Similarly named but unrelated fields)

Synonyms

derivation

Translations (245)

mn этимологи (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ms etimologi (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · be этымало́гія (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · hi इश्तिक़ाक़ (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ti ፍልቀተ-ቃል (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · mk етимологија (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ang namena ordfruma (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · tr köken bilimi (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · lb Etymologie (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · uk етимоло́гія (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · tg решашиносӣ (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · sh етимоло̀гија (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · grc ἐτυμολογία (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · or ନିରୁକ୍ତ (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · es etimología (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ast etimoloxía (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ky этимология (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · bg етимоло́гия (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · is orðsifjafræði (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · aii ܐܵܛܘܿܡܘܿܠܘܿܓ݂ܝܼܵܐ (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · vi từ nguyên học (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · mr व्युत्पत्ती (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · tk etimologiýa (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · hi इश्तिक़ाक़ियात (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · mi mātai kupu (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ga sanasaíocht (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · hi व्युत्पत्ति (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · tl panuysuyan (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · tg этимология (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · wo gongikubaat (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ps اشتقاق پوهنه (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · hy ստուգաբանություն (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · bg етимоло́гия (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · lb Etymologie (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · si නිරුක්ති විද්යාව (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · fa-ira اِشْتِقاق (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · la vēriloquium (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · hi निरुक्त (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · mn ᠡᠲ᠋ᠢᠮᠣᠯᠣᠭᠢ (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · th รากศัพท์ (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · uz etimologiya (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ml നിരുക്തം (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · lv etimoloģija (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · hu származás (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · hu etimológia (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · id etimologi (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · fa-ira ریشِهشِناسی (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · sv etymologi (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · hu szófejtés (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · vi từ nguyên (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · sa निरुक्त (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · fa-ira ریشِهشِناسی (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · fr étymologie (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · it etimologia (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · tg иштиқоқ (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ko 어원 (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · nl etymologie (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · af etimologie (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · nv bizhiʼígíí (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · be этымалёгія (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · yue 語源學 /语源学 (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ro etimologie (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · eo etimologio (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · de Etymologie (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · he גִּזָּרוֹן (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ml പദോൽപ്പത്തി (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · pl źródłosłów (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · th ศัพทมูล (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · eu etimologia (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · sw etimolojia (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · te వ్యుత్పత్తి (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · mr व्युत्पत्तीशास्त्र (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · es etimología (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · sl etimologija (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · pt etimologia (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · sv etymologi (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · fi etymologia (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · scn etimoluggìa (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · co etimulugia (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ko 어원 (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · hi इश्तिक़ाक़ियात (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · de Wortherkunft (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · mk етимоло́гија (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · co etimulugia (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · fa-ira اِتیمولوژی (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ja 語源学 (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ug ئېتىمولوگىيە (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · hu szóeredet (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · km និរុត្តិសាស្ត្រ (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · hi व्युत्पत्ति (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ka ეტიმოლოგია (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ta சொற்பிறப்பியல் (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · cs etymologie (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · nl etymologie (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · eo vortodeveno (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · fo orðaupprunafrøði (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · bo ཐ་སྙད་སྒྲུབ་ཚུལ (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · br etimologiezh (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · fa-ira واژِهپَژوهی (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · mn үгийн гаралзүй (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · sk etymológia (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ar تَأْثِيل (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ur اِشْتِقاق (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · km មូលសព្ទ (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · hi व्युत्पत्तिशास्त्र (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · io etimologio (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ja 語源 (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · it etimologia (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · hu eredet (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · rup etimulughii (roa-rup) (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ca etimologia (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · gv bun-ocklaght (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · pl etymologia (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · vo tümolog (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · sa व्युत्पत्ति (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · nn etymologi (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · nb etymologi (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · fa-ira عِلْمِ اِشْتِقاق (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · km ដើមកំណើតពាក្យ (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ia etymologia (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ko 어원학 (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · az etimologiya (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ur اِشْتِقاقِیات (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · hi सर्फ़ (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ru этимоло́гия (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · sa निरुक्त (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · oc etimologia (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · vi từ nguyên (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · cmn 詞源學 /词源学 (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · hy ստուգաբանություն (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · et etümoloogia (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ur اِشْتِقاق (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · cmn 語源學 /语源学 (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ug ئېتىمولوگىيە (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · he גִּזָּרוֹן (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · da etymologi (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · cy tarddiad (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · or ବ୍ୟୁତ୍ପତ୍ତି (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · grc ἐτυμολογία (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · fa-ira اِتیمولوژی (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · lv etimoloģija (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · cmn 詞根 /词根 (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · rue етимоло́ґия (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ur صَرْف (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · sa व्युत्पत्ति (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · uk етимоло́гія (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · bn শব্দতত্ত্ব (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · gl etimoloxía (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · aii ܡܲܒܗܘܼܬ ܡܸܠܹ̈ܐ (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · hu eredeztetés (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ps ګړيستنه (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · is orðsifjar (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · kk этимология (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ur صَرْف (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · hi व्युत्पत्तिशास्त्र (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · da etymologi (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · nl woordherkomst (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · tl etimolohiya (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · sl etimologija (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · mn үгийн гарал (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · be этымало́гія (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · yi עטימאָלאָגיע (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · cmn 詞源 /词源 (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · tr etimoloji (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · fr étymologie (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · bo ཐ་སྙད་རིག་པ (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ar عِلْم تَأْثِيل (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · cs etymologie (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · mn ᠦᠭᠡ ᠵᠢᠨ ᠭᠠᠷᠤᠯ ᠵᠦᠢ (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · fi etymologia (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · mt etimoloġija (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · sh etimològija (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · sq etimologji (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · br etimologiezh (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · la etymologia (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · kn ಪದದ ಹಿನ್ನೆಲೆ (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · tr etimoloji (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · jv étimologi (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · nb etymologi (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · et etümoloogia (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · fa-ira عِلْمِ اِشْتِقاق (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · fa-ira واژِهپَژوهی (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · hi इश्तिक़ाक़ (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ps فقه اللغت (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · eo etimo (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · hu szófejtés (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · om xiinjecha (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · hu etimológia (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ro etimologie (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · el ετυμολογία (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ps اشتقاق (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · tg этимология (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ur اِشْتِقاقِیات (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ga sanasaíocht (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · de Herkunft (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · la etymologia (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · kmr bêjenasî (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · de Etymologie (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · vec etimoƚoxìa (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · oc etimologia (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · cmn 語源 /语源 (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · yo ìmọ̀ orírun-ọ̀rọ̀ (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · nn etymologi (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · my ဗျုပ္ပတ် (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · sh етимоло̀гија (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ca etimologia (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · or ବ୍ୟୁତ୍ପତ୍ତି (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · my ဗျုပ္ပတ် (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · pt etimologia (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · bn ব্যুৎপত্তি (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · sa व्युत्पत्तिशास्त्र (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · sh etimològija (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · cy geirdarddiad (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · hi निरुक्त (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · tr köken bilgisi (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · sk etymológia (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ug ئېتمولوگىيە (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · pl etymologia (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · th ศัพทมูลวิทยา (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · rue етимоло́ґия (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · hu szótörténet (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · yo orírun-ọ̀rọ̀ (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ka ეტიმოლოგია (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · sa व्युत्पत्तिशास्त्र (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · an etimolochía (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · el ετυμολογία (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · mn ᠦᠭᠡ ᠵᠢᠨ ᠭᠠᠷᠤᠯ (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · yo ẹ̀kọ́ orírun-ọ̀rọ̀ (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · cy geirdarddeg (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · or ନିରୁକ୍ତ (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · lt etimologija (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · tg решашиносӣ (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ta சொற்பிறப்பியல் (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ar اِشْتِقَاق (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · he אֵטִימוֹלוֹגְיָה (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · tl etimolohiya (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · pl źródłosłów (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · tr köken bilimi (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · ar تَأْثِيل (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · cmn 字源 (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · tl palamuhatan (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · gl etimoloxía (account of the origin and historical development of a word) · ru этимоло́гия (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · hi सर्फ़ (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words) · be этымалёгія (study of the historical development of languages, particularly of individual words)

wikidata: Q35245 · wikidata: Q131684213