noun
etymology
et-ih-MOL-uh-jee
Etymology (noun) means the origin and history of a word, including the earlier forms and languages it came from and how its meaning has shifted. Example: “The etymology of 'salary' goes back to the Latin word for salt.”
noun
1
The origin and history of a word, including the earlier forms and languages it came from and how its meaning has shifted.
"The etymology of 'salary' goes back to the Latin word for salt."
"Nobody agrees on the etymology of 'jazz'."
2
The branch of linguistics that studies where words come from and how they change over time.
"She studied etymology alongside historical phonology."
How to use etymology
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe story of where a word came from and how it got its meaning.
Memory tip
A specialist is an 'etymologist'; the adjective is 'etymological'.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
the etymology of
uncertain etymology
folk etymology
disputed etymology
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The _____ of 'salary' goes back to the Latin word for salt.
Etymology
From Greek etymon ('true sense, original meaning') plus -logia ('study of'), via Latin etymologia.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for etymology
See all rhymes for 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.
What is the meaning of etymology?
"etymology" (noun) means the origin and history of a word, including the earlier forms and languages it came from and how its meaning has shifted.
