etymology

Pronunciation key ( et′ə-mol′ə-ji )

et•y•mol•o•gy

n. [pl. ETYMOLOGIES (-jiz)]

[Fr. étymologie; L. etymologia; Gr. etamologia see ETYMON and -LOGY].

1. Study of a word's origin and development, tracing it as far back as known possible typically by comparative linguistics.
2. Dictionary etymologies are given in brackets following the part-of-speech label.
3. Branch of linguistics that focus on the origin and development of words.

Abbreviated as etym. etymol., ety.

References

Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language (College Edition) ©1955