1. etymology(n = noun.communication) - a history of a word;
is a kind of account, chronicle, history, story
has particulars: folk etymology
Derived forms adjective etymological1, noun etymologist1, verb etymologize2, verb etymologize1
2. etymology(n = noun.cognition) - the study of the sources and development of words;
is a kind of linguistics
has particulars: lexicostatistics
Derived forms adjective etymological1, noun etymologist1, verb etymologize2, verb etymologize1
1. That branch of philological science which treats of the history of words, tracing out their origin, primitive significance, and changes of form and meaning. [1913 Webster]
2. That part of grammar which relates to the changes in the form of the words in a language; inflection. [1913 Webster]
etymology, n. (pl. -ies)
1 a the historically verifiable sources of the formation of a word and the development of its meaning. b an account of these.
2 the branch of linguistic science concerned with etymologies.
Derivative:
etymological adj. etymologically adv. etymologist n.
Etymology:
OF ethimologie f. L etymologia f. Gk etumologia (as ETYMON, -LOGY)
N word, term, vocable, name, phrase, root, etymon, derivative, part of speech, ideophone, dictionary, vocabulary, lexicon, glossary, index, concordance, thesaurus, gradus, delectus, etymology, derivation, glossology, terminology orismology, paleology, lexicography, glossographer, lexicologist, verbarian, verbal, literal, titular, nominal, conjugate, paronymous, derivative, verbally, verbatim, the artillery of words.