etymological

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   relating to etymology or the historical origin and development of words

   The dictionary includes an etymological note beneath every headword.

2. 2
   adj

   of a form or meaning: consistent with a word's historical source

   The older spelling is closer to the term's etymological form.

Formed from etymology + -ical. Etymology came through Latin and Old French from Greek etymologia, built from etymon ('true sense; origin of a word') + -logia ('study, account'). The adjective describes evidence, arguments, or forms concerned with a word's history.

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