How to Use etymology in a Sentence

etymology

noun
  • Several different etymologies have been proposed.
  • Drag is one of those terms whose etymology is tough to discern.
    — Kevin Fisher-Paulson, San Francisco Chronicle, 14 Mar. 2023
  • Hopefully these lists and the etymology will clear up the term.
    — Theodore McDarrah, Forbes, 11 Aug. 2022
  • Canvass, though, must be the campaign word with the strangest etymology.
    — Melissa Mohr, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 June 2018
  • That word gets flung around with ease these days, long removed from its religious etymology.
    — Vanityfair.com, VanityFair.com, 13 Mar. 2017
  • 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
  • And for bibliophiles who are also word nerds, there's lots of juicy etymology.
    — Cory Oldweiler, Star Tribune, 9 Apr. 2021
  • Its etymology -- from the Old English -- has to do with shed blood.
    — Dave Lucas, CNN, 15 Apr. 2022
  • When looking to understand a word or concept, its etymology is a great place to start.
    — Theodore McDarrah, Forbes, 11 Aug. 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
  • Etna also shows off the etymology of igneous, from the Latin word for fire.
    — National Geographic, 6 Jan. 2016
  • 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
  • However, as Reuters noted, the lawyers did not give their own etymology for the term.
    — Wired News Report, WIRED, 7 Apr. 1998
  • This etymology suggests how the racket becomes a part of the hand itself.
    — Chip Colwell, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024
  • Sleep paralysis is distinct from nightmares, but the two do share an etymology.
    — Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 8 Dec. 2020
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • In that one song is the etymology of the entire folk- and country-music tradition.
    — Rosanne Cash, Rolling Stone, 19 May 2026
  • In its etymology are the Greek verb misein, to hate, and gyne, women.
    — The Economist, 22 June 2019
  • While the etymology of this classic cake's name might be slightly confusing, there's nothing head-scratching about its flavor.
    — Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, 31 Jan. 2023
  • Alas, etymologies don’t always reveal themselves so clearly.
    — Martha Barnette august 6, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2025
  • But the etymology also reflects a suspicion that interest allows the rich to devour the poor.
    — Adam Rowe, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022
  • 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
  • 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
  • Then, following that wild-goose chase of a paragraph, Amis presents us with a footnote—and another hundred words on etymology.
    — Leo Robson, Harper's Magazine, 27 Oct. 2020
  • Just like the etymology of the term, the reason has less to do with the philosophy itself than with the people associated with it.
    — Theodore McDarrah, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • But to Zhao’s point, its etymology is something worth considering.
    — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 6 Dec. 2025

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.

Last Updated: