etymologist

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The word came into English as “empechen” by way of the Old French word empechier, meaning to prevent or to hinder, according to the British etymologist Michael Quinion.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 18, 2019

I asked the Journal’s resident etymologist, columnist Ben Zimmer, about the earliest use of the term “echo chamber” in its modern sense.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2016

“I make it sound very scholarly,” says Merriam etymologist Jim Rader, a onetime Slavic linguistics graduate student who writes the historical notes.

From Slate • Jan. 12, 2015

He’s just enough of an etymologist to notice that “beheading” is both a noun and a verb.

From New York Times • Jul. 7, 2010

The boy who propounded this evidently had much of the stock in trade required for the popular etymologist.

From Literary Blunders by Wheatley, Henry Benjamin