etymology

UK: /ˌɛtɪˈmɒlədʒi/ US: /ˌɛtəˈmɑlədʒi/ ,(et′ə mol′ə jē)

Inflections of 'etymology' (n): npl: etymologies

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

et•y•mol•o•gy /ˌɛtəˈmɑlədʒi/   n., pl. -gies. 

1. Linguistics the history of words or word elements:
   [countable] a dictionary of etymology.
2. Linguistics [uncountable] the study of historical linguistic change in individual words.

et•y•mo•log•i•cal /ˌɛtəməˈlɑdʒɪkəl/  adj. 
et•y•mol•o•gist /ˌɛtəˈmɑlədʒɪst/  n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

et•y•mol•o•gy  (et′ə mol′ə jē), n., pl. -gies. 

1. Linguistics the derivation of a word.
2. Linguistics an account of the history of a particular word or element of a word.
3. Linguistics the study of historical linguistic change, esp. as manifested in individual words.

• Greek etymología, equivalent. to etymológ(os) studying the true meanings and values of words (étymo(s) true (see etymon) + lógos word, reason) + -ia -y³
• Latin etymologia
• 1350–1400; Middle English

et•y•mo•log•i•cal  (et′ə mə loj′i kəl), et′y•mo•log′ic, adj.  et′y•mo•log′i•cal•ly, adv. 
et′y•mol′o•gist, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

etymology / ˌɛtɪˈmɒlədʒɪ/ noun ( -gies)

1. the study of the sources and development of words and morphemes
2. an account of the source and development of a word or morpheme

Etymology: 14th Century: via Latin from Greek etumologia; see etymon, -logy

etymological / ˌɛtɪməˈlɒdʒɪk^əl/ adjective

ˌetymoˈlogically adverb

ˌetyˈmologist noun