Which term is the study of word origins and history?

Which term is the study of word origins and history?

• A. Etymology
• B. Morphology
• C. Orthography
• D. Phonology

Answer: (A)

Etymology is the study of word origins and history. It looks at where a word came from, its earliest forms, and how its meaning and spelling have changed over time as it moved between languages and cultures. This helps explain why related words in different languages look alike or why a modern pronunciation doesn’t always match its spelling. This contrasts with morphology, which focuses on the internal building blocks of words (roots and affixes); orthography, which handles correct spelling; and phonology, which studies sound systems and patterns in a language. For example, the word etymology itself comes from Greek roots meaning “true” and “study,” illustrating how a term about word history embeds its own subject matter.

Etymology is the study of word origins and history. It looks at where a word came from, its earliest forms, and how its meaning and spelling have changed over time as it moved between languages and cultures. This helps explain why related words in different languages look alike or why a modern pronunciation doesn’t always match its spelling. This contrasts with morphology, which focuses on the internal building blocks of words (roots and affixes); orthography, which handles correct spelling; and phonology, which studies sound systems and patterns in a language. For example, the word etymology itself comes from Greek roots meaning “true” and “study,” illustrating how a term about word history embeds its own subject matter.