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Definition of etymology

etymology

/ˌɛt.əˈmɑː.lə.dʒi/
et · y · mol · o · gy
Adverb:etymologically
•
Plural:etymologies
•
Adjective:etymological
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etymology Lexical Profile

etymology Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings and forms have changed throughout history.

Example

"Her fascination with etymology led her to study several ancient Indo-European languages at university."

2

An account of the historical origin and development of a particular word or element of a word.

Example

"A comprehensive dictionary provides the pronunciation, part of speech, and etymology for every entry."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for etymology

Word Nuance & Usage

Often confused with 'entomology', which is the scientific study of insects.

• Rhymes for etymology

• Nearby Words

etropole falls
etta
etude
etymology
eucalyptus
eucharist
eucharistic

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old French ethimologie, via Latin from Ancient Greek etymologia, combining etymon ('true sense, original meaning', from etymos, 'true, real') and -logia ('study of, account').

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Etymology. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/etymology
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