noun
etiology
ee-tee-OL-uh-jee
Etiology (noun) means the cause or set of causes of a disease or condition. Example: “The etiology of the illness remains unknown.”
noun
1
American spelling; British 'aetiology' The cause or set of causes of a disease or condition.
"The etiology of the illness remains unknown."
"Most cases have a viral etiology."
2
The branch of medicine concerned with the causes of diseases.
"Her research is in the etiology of autoimmune disorders."
3
formal The origins or causes of anything, such as a social problem or a myth.
"The book traces the etiology of the financial crisis."
"Scholars debate the etiology of the flood story."
How to use etiology
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWhat causes a disease or problem in the first place.
When to use it
Medical and academic; in everyday writing 'cause' is clearer.
Memory tip
Do not confuse it with 'etymology': etiology is about the causes of diseases, etymology about the origins of words.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
unknown etiology
viral etiology
the etiology of
multifactorial etiology
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The _____ of the illness remains unknown.
Etymology
From Greek aitia ('cause') plus -logia ('study of'), via Latin aetiologia.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for etiology
See all rhymes for etiology →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between etiology and pathology?
Etiology asks what caused a disease, such as a bacterium, a gene or a toxin. Pathology studies what the disease then does to the body's tissues and how it can be identified. In short, etiology is the why and pathology is the what.
Is it 'etiology' or 'aetiology'?
Both are correct. 'Etiology' is the American spelling and 'aetiology' the British and Commonwealth one; the pronunciation is the same. Medical journals follow their house style, so match whichever the publication uses.
What does 'idiopathic etiology' mean?
It means the cause is unknown. 'Idiopathic' describes a disease that arises on its own without an identifiable cause, so the phrase is a formal way of saying doctors have not found a reason for it.
What is the meaning of etiology?
"etiology" (noun) means the cause or set of causes of a disease or condition.
