Ichthyology
/ˌɪkθiˈɒlədʒi/noun
The branch of zoology that studies fish.
Did you know?Ichthyology comes from Greek ichthys, the ordinary word for “fish,” plus -logia, “study,” and that same ichthys later became a secret Christian symbol, making fish a hidden sign of belief as well as biology.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ikhthýs (ἰχθύς)
“fish”
Ancient Greek
Greek
-logía (-λογία)
“study, discourse, account”
Modern Latin
Latin
ichthyologia
“study of fish”
16th–17th Century
English
ichthyology
“the study of fishes”
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