It has recently been discovered that the term `` sociology '' -- a term considered coined by Comte -- had already been introduced in 1780 , albeit with a different meaning , by the French essayist Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès ( 1748 -- 1836 ) .
It was recently discovered that the term ` sociology ' had already been introduced in 1780 , but with a different meaning , by the French essayist Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès ( 1748-1836 ) .