etymology
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++et·y·mol·o·gy /ˌetəˈmɒlədʒi $ -ˈmɑː-/ noun 1. [uncountable]SL the study of the origins, history, and changing meanings of words 词源学2. [countable]SL a description of the history of a word 词源 —etymologist noun [countable] —etymological /ˌetəməˈlɒdʒɪkəl◂ $ -ˈlɑː-/ adjective —etymologically /-kli/ adverb
Examples from the Corpus
etymology• One form of this is called folk etymology.• His account of their arrival and his etymology for their name can not be trusted.• It is also rather odd, in that no etymology of it is known.• The guiding principles then of etymology and precedent would not be acceptable today.• One might wish to replace the obsolete name of a country or language with the modern name in every definition or etymology.• Looking at it another way it is perhaps a neat coupling of the word's etymology.• He has done his damnedest to supply the etymologies whenever he can, and they all ring true.• The flesh and bones of words rose again to the salvation of their etymologies.Origin etymology (1300-1400) Latin etymologia, from Greek, from etymon “original meaning”, from etymos “true”et·y·mol·o·gy nounChineseSyllable
and origins, study the Corpus history, the of changing
etymology
et‧y‧mol‧o‧gy /ˌetəˈmɒlədʒi, ˌetɪˈmɒlədʒi $ -ˈmɑː-/
noun
2. [countable] a description of the history of a word
—etymologist noun [countable]
—etymological /ˌetəməˈlɒdʒɪkəl◂, ˌetɪməˈlɒdʒɪkəl◂ $ -ˈlɑː-/ adjective
—etymologically /-kli/ adverb
et‧y‧mol‧o‧gy /ˌetəˈmɒlədʒi, ˌetɪˈmɒlədʒi $ -ˈmɑː-/
noun Date: 1300-1400
Language: Latin
Origin: etymologia, from Greek, from etymon 'original meaning', from etymos 'true'
1. [uncountable] the study of the origins, history, and changing meanings of wordsLanguage: Latin
Origin: etymologia, from Greek, from etymon 'original meaning', from etymos 'true'
2. [countable] a description of the history of a word
—etymologist noun [countable]
—etymological /ˌetəməˈlɒdʒɪkəl◂, ˌetɪməˈlɒdʒɪkəl◂ $ -ˈlɑː-/ adjective
—etymologically /-kli/ adverb