Etymony
/ˈɛt.ɪ.mə.ni/noun
A rare term meaning the true or original meaning of a word, or the study of such meanings.
Did you know?Etymony is built around Greek étymon, “the true sense,” reflecting the ancient belief that uncovering a word’s original meaning could reveal something essential about reality.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₁es-
“To be or exist; a proposed deep root associated with Greek etymos and several words for existence.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
étymos
“True, real, or genuine.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
étymon
“The neuter form of étymos, used for “the true sense” of a word.”
Late Antiquity
Greek
etymología
“The investigation or explanation of a word’s true sense; the source of English etymology.”
Middle English
English
etymologie
“The origin and explanation of words.”
Modern English
English
etymony
“A rare noun for a word’s true or original meaning, or the study of it.”