How to Use etymology in a Sentence

etymology

noun
  • Several different etymologies have been proposed.
  • The more likely etymology points to the root lag, or law.
    Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 2 Feb. 2024
  • Lowery Sims said that the root of the word to curate is to care, and people love to talk about what that etymology means.
    Essence, 19 Jan. 2024
  • So in the etymology is the idea that Galadriel is a warrior.
    James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Oct. 2022
  • O’Donnell: Is there anything useful to note about the etymology of the word?
    B.r.j. O'Donnell, The Atlantic, 13 Oct. 2017
  • Its etymology -- from the Old English -- has to do with shed blood.
    Dave Lucas, CNN, 15 Apr. 2022
  • The etymology of Barbara means strange woman, and what could be a stranger woman than a drag queen?
    Joe Lynch, Billboard, 7 Feb. 2020
  • Hopefully these lists and the etymology will clear up the term.
    Theodore McDarrah, Forbes, 11 Aug. 2022
  • Drag is one of those terms whose etymology is tough to discern.
    Kevin Fisher-Paulson, San Francisco Chronicle, 14 Mar. 2023
  • Like studying the etymology of a word instead of just learning how to spell it for a spelling bee.
    David Oliver, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2022
  • Etna also shows off the etymology of igneous, from the Latin word for fire.
    National Geographic, 6 Jan. 2016
  • Canvass, though, must be the campaign word with the strangest etymology.
    Melissa Mohr, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 June 2018
  • However, as Reuters noted, the lawyers did not give their own etymology for the term.
    Wired News Report, WIRED, 7 Apr. 1998
  • Our Word Through The Times charts the etymology of a word throughout its appearances in our report.
    Megan Ditrolio, New York Times, 20 Nov. 2022
  • Most people don't know the etymology of the word ... and almost no one who uses it means to offend the Roma people.
    C Mandler, CBS News, 15 Mar. 2023
  • Its very etymology offers a clue about what is at stake in the greatest challenges of the future, and what is needed to address them.
    Ed Yong, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2020
  • The etymology of many relates to their shape or filling.
    Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2022
  • Sometimes the etymology of a Great Andamanese name bore a resemblance to the English one.
    Anvita Abbi, Scientific American, 16 May 2023
  • This feat takes hours of repetition, coaching from a teacher or loved one, and study of etymology, or the origin of words.
    Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 31 May 2019
  • When looking to understand a word or concept, its etymology is a great place to start.
    Theodore McDarrah, Forbes, 11 Aug. 2022
  • One of Simone’s favorite tips: having a suitcase of words and a toolbox for a word’s etymology.
    Carli Teproff, miamiherald, 28 May 2017
  • But more than a simple entry, Google also serves up synonyms, antonyms, and (often) the word's etymology – that is, the word's origins.
    Kim Komando, USA TODAY, 6 Dec. 2021
  • Its etymology is simple: to pre-dict is to say before, to articulate what has not yet come to pass.
    Diana Rose Harper, Wired, 5 Jan. 2022
  • Other words in this lexical field, though, have etymologies that stress more selfish instincts, along the lines of egoism.
    Melissa Mohr, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Apr. 2023
  • The English word swamp had evolved by the early 17th century, but its etymology is a quagmire.
    Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 9 May 2017
  • The English word swamp had evolved by the early 17th century, but its etymology is a quagmire.
    Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 8 May 2017
  • In its etymology are the Greek verb misein, to hate, and gyne, women.
    The Economist, 22 June 2019
  • And for bibliophiles who are also word nerds, there's lots of juicy etymology.
    Cory Oldweiler, Star Tribune, 9 Apr. 2021
  • The etymology of the word contains the keys to Parry’s enthusiasm.
    Jo Livingstone, The New Republic, 30 Apr. 2021
  • But like much in the retail world, this etymology is an attempt to dress up a more mundane reality.
    Melissa Mohr, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Nov. 2021

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'etymology.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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