etiology
noun
eti·ol·o·gy
| \ ˌē-tē-ˈä-lə-jē
\
\
plural etiologies
Definition of etiology
Examples of etiology in a Sentence
The scarf had been purchased in one of those tiny, exquisitely organized stores that can seduce you into thinking it matters less what you wear than how you accessorize what you wear, and the scarf came in just the noncolor colors that I like: mustard and khaki and taupe, shades of dun, nothing too vivid, yet subtly enlivening. I have traced the etiology of this object the better to convey the irrational significance of its loss.
— Daphne Merkin, New York Times Magazine, 5 May 1991
In social terms, regardless of its etiology, memory loss may be a way of coping with harsh reality.
— Elizabeth W. Markson, Growing Old in America, (1985) 1987
I have Freud in my novel as a doctor someone has heard about somewhere, perhaps in Vindobo-na in Pannonia (Vienna in Austria to you), who thinks, though not in so many words, that neuroses have no somatic etiology. I call him Sameach, which is Hebrew for Freud. I also call him Efcharistimenos, which is Greek for Freud. Damn it, I couldn't spell it out more if I tried.
— Anthony Burgess, Times Literary Supplement, 2 Aug. 1985
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Recent Examples on the Web
The etiology of the crime, and the punishment that may follow, stretch past the experiences of two men in the 10th arrondissement. — Jason Farago, The New York Review of Books, "J’Accuse!," 18 Apr. 2019 The goal of One Health is to develop policies and interventions that account for social, political and economic realities, not just disease etiology. — Daniel Fernandez, Smithsonian, "How Globalization Changed the Way We Fight Disease," 4 June 2018 Although no clear etiologies for this cluster exist, occupational exposures possibly contributed. — Elana Glowatz, Newsweek, "Dentists Mysteriously Dying of Lung Disease: CDC Report," 9 Mar. 2018 Most repetitive behaviors, regardless of etiology, begin in childhood. — Kate Murphy, ajc, "Are you a hair-twirler or a nail-biter?," 27 Sep. 2017 Most repetitive behaviors, regardless of etiology, begin in childhood. — Kate Murphy, ajc, "Are you a hair-twirler or a nail-biter?," 27 Sep. 2017 Most repetitive behaviors, regardless of etiology, begin in childhood. — Kate Murphy, ajc, "Are you a hair-twirler or a nail-biter?," 27 Sep. 2017 Most repetitive behaviors, regardless of etiology, begin in childhood. — Kate Murphy, ajc, "Are you a hair-twirler or a nail-biter?," 27 Sep. 2017 Most repetitive behaviors, regardless of etiology, begin in childhood. — Kate Murphy, ajc, "Are you a hair-twirler or a nail-biter?," 27 Sep. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'etiology.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for etiology
etiology
noun
eti·ol·o·gy
variants:
or chiefly British aetiology \ ˌēt-ē-ˈäl-ə-jē
\
\
plural etiologies
Medical Definition of etiology
1
: the cause or causes of a disease or abnormal condition
some types of cancer have a viral etiology a multiple etiology in which biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors all play a role— M. E. Jackson et al
2
: a branch of medical science dealing with the causes and origin of diseases
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