noun
pl. -·gies- the origin and development of a word, affix, phrase, etc.; the tracing of a word or other form back as far as possible in its own language and to its source in contemporary or earlier languages: in this dictionary etymologies are given in doubled brackets preceding the senses to which they apply
- the branch of linguistics dealing with word origin and development
Origin of etymology
Middle English and Old French ethimologie from Classical Latin etymologia from Gr: see etymon and -logy