etymology
n.n. the study of where a word came from and how its meaning has changed over time. It looks at the history of a word's language and its roots.
n. the study of the origin and historical development of words. It examines how a word's form and meaning have evolved across different languages and periods.
The etymology of the word 'bicycle' is easy to understand.
By studying the etymology of the word, we can see that it comes from the Greek words for 'two' and 'wheel'.
The etymology of many modern English words reveals a complex history of invasions and cultural exchanges, often tracing back to Latin, French, or Germanic roots.
From Middle English ethymologie, from Old French ethimologie, from Latin etymologia, from Ancient Greek ἐτυμολογία (etumología), from ἔτυμον (étumon, “true sense”) and -λογία (-logía, “study or logic of”), from λόγος (lógos, “word; explanation”). Equivalent to etymon + -ology.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 18, 2026