wordhistory
nounUK /ˈwɜːdˌhɪstəri/
US /ˈwɝːdˌhɪstəri/
The story of where a word comes from and how its meaning changed over time.
In class we learned the wordhistory of the word 'sandwich'.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The study of how words have developed and changed across the years.
She studies wordhistory at the university.
3. A written record showing the first use and later changes of a particular word.
The book includes a wordhistory for every entry.
4. The background story behind a name or phrase.
He told us the wordhistory of his family's nickname.