noun
aetiology
ee-tee-OL-uh-jee
Aetiology (noun) means the study of the causes of a disease, or the cause of a particular disease or case of one. Example: “The aetiology of the condition is still not fully understood.”
noun
1
medical The study of the causes of a disease, or the cause of a particular disease or case of one.
"The aetiology of the condition is still not fully understood."
"Doctors traced the aetiology of the outbreak to contaminated water."
"Her research focuses on the aetiology of heart disease."
2
formal The process of working out why something exists or happens.
"The book offers an aetiology of the housing crisis."
"Historians disagree about the aetiology of the war."
How to use aetiology
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe cause of something, or the study of causes, most often in medicine.
When to use it
It is a formal, mostly medical or academic word.
Memory tip
Remember that aetiology is about causes, while etymology is about word origins.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
aetiology of the disease
unknown aetiology
aetiology and treatment
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The _____ of the condition is still not fully understood.
Etymology
The word was borrowed from Latin aetiologia. It can also be analysed as aetio- combined with -logy.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for aetiology
See all rhymes for aetiology →Frequently asked questions
How do you pronounce aetiology?
In British English it is pronounced roughly ee-tee-OL-uh-jee, with the stress on the third syllable.
Is aetiology the same as etiology?
Yes. Etiology is the spelling used in the US and Canada, while aetiology is the British spelling.
Is aetiology the same as etymology?
No. Aetiology is about causes, especially of disease, while etymology is about the origin and history of words.
What is the meaning of aetiology?
"aetiology" (noun) means the study of the causes of a disease, or the cause of a particular disease or case of one.
