what is etymology
Etymology. Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.By an extension, the term the etymology of [a word] means the origin of the particular word.tymology (noun). that branch of philological science which treats of the history of words, tracing out their origin, primitive significance, and changes of form and meaning. Etymology (noun). that part of grammar which relates to the changes in the form of the words in a language; inflection.