etymology

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.

For example, prompts that encourage models to think about word origins and structure using etymology lead to more unexpected associations and higher creativity scores.

From Science Daily • Jan. 25, 2026

But both etymology and history suggest something more complicated.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 21, 2026

Among the notes included in the “Furlough’s Paradise” script is an etymology of the word “furlough” — as in, “permission, liberty granted to do something.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2025

There are corners of the internet that spend more time worrying about the etymology of Darth Vader’s name than the policies of any politician.

From Salon • Sep. 19, 2024

“I just said I never heard it before and I wondered what the etymology of your name is.”

From "Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story" by Nora Raleigh Baskin