etymology UK /ˌɛtɪˈmɒləd͡ʒi/US /ˌɛtəˈmɒləd͡ʒi/ noun4 •The entire catalogue of meanings that a word, morpheme, or sign has carried throughout its history.Although written the same, the words lead (the metal) and lead (the verb) have totally different etymologies. •An account of the origin and historical development of a word as presented in a dictionary or the like.I began to study coats of arms, visit the Web sites of portrait galleries and look up the etymology of Gaelic names. — 2012 •The direct origin of a name, as in who someone was named after.I'm sure you know the etymology of your name, Goodspeed. — 1996 •The scientific study of the origin and evolution of a word's semantic meaning across time, including its constituent morphemes and phonemes. formsetymologies
