51Թ

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View synonyms for

etiology

or ·پ·DZ··

[ ee-tee-ol-uh-jee ]

noun

plural etiologies.
  1. Pathology.
    1. the study of the causes of diseases.
    2. the cause or origin of a disease.
  2. the study of causation.
  3. any study of causes, causation, or causality, as in philosophy, biology, or physics.


etiology

/ ˌiːtɪəˈlɒdʒɪkəl; ˌiːtɪˈɒlədʒɪ /

noun

  1. a variant spelling of aetiology
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

etiology

/ ŧ′tŧ-ŏə-ŧ /

  1. The cause or origin of a disease, condition, or constellation of symptoms or signs, as determined by medical diagnosis or research.
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Derived Forms

  • etiological, adjective
  • ˌپˈDZDz, noun
  • ˌپˈDz, adverb
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Other 51Թ Forms

  • t·DZo· noun
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of etiology1

First recorded in 1545–55; from Latin aetiologia, from Greek پDZDzí “determining the cause of something,” from í() “cause” + -o- -o- + -logia -logy
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Being the journalist I am, from the beginning of this strange and bewildering acoustic saga, I wanted to determine the etiology of my hearing decline.

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Although its etiology is still unclear, previous studies have shown that bipolar disease is highly heritable.

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"This new approach looks at the neuronal differences contributing to the etiology of autism spectrum disorder."

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The program was led by trained instructors with expertise in cardiovascular disease etiology, treatment and prevention.

From

Each of the epithets has its own etiology, and some of their origins can be traced to their inception.

From

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More About Etiology

What doesetiology mean?

The etiology of a disease is its cause or origin.

Etiology is also the name for the study of the causes of diseases. It can also refer to the study of the cause of things in other fields, such as philosophy and physics. But it is most commonly used in the context of medicine. In British English, it is spelled aetiology.

Example: The doctors have taken some samples and are working to determine the etiology of the disease.

Where doesetiology come from?

The first records of etiology in English come from the mid-1500s. Etiology derives from the Greek پDZDzí, meaning “determining the cause of something.” This is formed from í, “cause,” and –logia, which is the basis of -logy, which indicates the study of something.

In medicine, etiology involves studying the factors that cause a disease. This is done for individual patients to determine how they became sick and to diagnose their illness. But it is also done on a broader scale to determine the origin of diseases. Epidemiologists study how diseases spread throughout large populations and try to detect the source and cause of epidemics.

When a cause of a disease is determined, this is called its etiology. For example, the etiology of cholera is known to be a bacterium that contaminates food and drinking water in places with poor sanitation.

Although etiology is most commonly used in medicine, it can also be used in the context of any field in which the causes of things are studied. An example of etiology in psychology is the study of the causes of mental disorders.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to etiology?

  • aetiology (British English spelling)
  • etiological (adjective)
  • etiologically (adverb)
  • etiologist (noun)

What are some words that share a root or word element with etiology?

What are some words that often get used in discussing etiology?

How isetiology used in real life?

Etiology is a formal, technical word that’s primarily used in medicine, but it can be used in other contexts as well.

Try usingetiology!

Is etiology used correctly in the following sentence?

The etiology of a disease isn’t always so simple—sometimes there are multiple factors.

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