etymology
4 synonyms for etymology, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The origin and history of a word, including the earlier forms and languages it came from and how its meaning has shifted.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use etymology
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
the etymology of
uncertain etymology
folk etymology
disputed etymology
Etymology
From Greek etymon ('true sense, original meaning') plus -logia ('study of'), via Latin etymologia.
Full origin of etymology →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between etymology and entomology?
Etymology is the study of where words come from; entomology is the study of insects. The pair are famously confused. Remember that 'ent-' relates to insects, as in 'entomologist', while 'etym-' points to a word's true origin.
What is a folk etymology?
A folk etymology is a popular but false explanation of a word's origin, often invented to make an unfamiliar word look sensible. It can also change spelling for real: 'crayfish' comes from Old French crevice, reshaped because English speakers heard 'fish' in it.
Does a word's etymology tell you what it really means?
No. Assuming it does is called the etymological fallacy. 'Nice' once meant 'ignorant' and 'decimate' once meant 'kill one in ten', but current usage, not ancestry, decides what a word means today.
