anamnestic etymology

Etymology

• Anamnesis (Greek): "remembering, recollection"
• -tic (Greek): "pertaining to"

Meaning

Anamnestic etymology refers to the practice of inferring the meaning of a word based on its historical development or derivation. This involves tracing the word's etymology, or its origins and changes over time, to understand its current meaning.

Origin

The term "anamnestic etymology" was coined in the 19th century by the German philologist August Schleicher. Schleicher argued that by analyzing the historical evolution of a word, linguists could gain valuable insights into its original meaning and the development of the language as a whole.

Application

Anamnestic etymology is a key method used in historical linguistics and etymology. By examining the etymologies of words, linguists can:

• Reconstruct the ancestral forms of words and language families.
• Identify semantic shifts and changes in the meaning of words.
• Understand the cultural and historical context in which words develop.

Examples

• The word "salary" comes from the Latin word "salarium," which originally referred to the payment of Roman soldiers with salt (sal).
• The word "mortgage" derives from the Old French phrase "mort gage," meaning "dead pledge." It originally referred to a type of pledge that could not be redeemed once it had been transferred.
• The word "laser" is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation."

Limitations

While anamnestic etymology can provide valuable insights into the meaning and history of words, it has certain limitations:

• It can be difficult to determine the exact meaning of words in ancient languages.
• The development of words may not always be linear, and changes in meaning can be influenced by various factors.
• Anamnestic etymology cannot always explain the current usage and meaning of a word.

anamnestic relate terms

• anamnesis

  Etymology The word anamnesis is derived from the Greek words ἀνά ana meaning

• admonish

  Etymology From Old French admonester from Medieval Latin admonestāre from Latin admo

• ament

  Etymology The word ament is derived from the Latin amentum meaning strap or thong

• amentia

  Etymology Latin amentia meaning loss of mind From a meaning away or lacking A

• amnesia

  Etymology The word amnesia comes from the Greek words a α meaning without

• amnesty

  Etymology From Ancient Greek ἀμνηστία amnēstía from ἀ a without

• anamnesis

  Etymology The word anamnesis is derived from the Greek words ἀνά ana meaning

• anamnestic

  Etymology Anamnesis Greek remembering recollection tic Greek pertaining to

• automatic

  Automatic Etymology From Greek automatos meaning self acting From autos meaning s

• automaton

  Etymology Auto From the Greek autós meaning self or spontaneous Maton From t

• balletomane

  Etymology balleto from French meaning ballet mane from Greek meaning a mani

• comment

  Etymology Origin Old French comment from Latin quomodo meaning in what way or

• dement

  Etymology The word demented is derived from the Latin term demens meaning out of o

• demonstrate

  Etymology The study of the origin and development of words Meaning The definition or s

• Eumenides

  Etymology The word Eumenides comes from the Greek words eu good menos mind

• idiomatic

  Idiomatic Etymology Idiomatic etymology is the study of the origins and development of id

• mandarin

  Etymology The word mandarin comes from the Portuguese word mandarim which in turn d

• mania

  Etymology Greek mania meaning madness frenzy Meaning and Origin In its psych

• manic

  Etymology The word manic originates from the Greek word manikos which means mad ra

• mantic

  Etymology The word mantic derives from the Greek word mantike which means divinatio

• mantis

  Etymology The word mantis comes from the Greek word mantis which means prophet or

• mantra

  Etymology Sanskrit mantr man to think tr tool protection Meaning A s

• memento

  Etymology Latin memento reminder memorandum Meaning A reminder or souvenir o

• mental

  Etymology Mental Derived from the Latin word mens meaning mind or intellect

• mention

  Etymology Etymology refers to the study of the origin and historical development of words

• mentor

  Etymology The word mentor is derived from the Greek name Méntōr who was a wise and

• mind

  Etymology Middle English minde from Old English mynd memory recollection remembran

• Minerva

  Etymology Latin Minerva Proto Italic Menrva Proto Indo European Menes wā Meanin

• minnesinger

  Etymology The term minnesinger is derived from the Middle High German words minne l

• mnemonic

  Etymology Derived from Greek mnēmē memory and tekhnikos pertaining to skill or

• Mnemosyne

  Etymology Greek Mnemosýnē Μνημοσύνη Meaning Remembrance Memory Ori

• money

  Etymology The word money comes from the Latin word moneta which was the name of the

• monition

  Etymology From Latin monitĭō monitiōnis noun of action from past participle stem o

• monitor

  Etymology The word monitor derives from the Latin word monere meaning to warn or a

• monster

  Etymology The word monster comes from the Latin word monstrum which originally mean

• monument

  Etymology The word monument originates from the Latin word monumentum which means

• mosaic

  Etymology Latin musaicum mosaic work Greek mouseion place of the Muses Mean

• Muse

  Etymology of Muse The word muse is derived from the Ancient Greek word μούσα

• museum

  Etymology The word museum derives from the Greek term mouseion which originally refe

• music

  Etymology and Meaning of Music The word music comes from the Greek word mousike wh

• muster

  Etymology and Origin The word muster has its origins in the Old French word monstre

• premonition

  Etymology Late Middle English from Old French premonition based on Late Latin praemon

• reminiscence

  Etymology The word reminiscence is derived from the Latin reminisci meaning to rem

• reminiscent

  Etymology From Late Latin reminiscens reminiscentis present participle of reminisc

• summon

  Etymology The word summon comes from the Middle English word somnen which is derived

• peace

  Etymology Old English pǣċ treaty pact peace Proto Germanic fraþuz treaty pa

• focus

  Etymology Latin focus hearth fireplace Proto Indo European bhew k to shine M

• ambiguous

  Etymology Ambiguous etymology refers to words whose origin and history are uncertain or

• sojourn

  Etymology Old French sojornee Late Latin subdiurnatus Latin sub meaning und

• Mississippi

  Etymology The name Mississippi is derived from two Algonquian words Misi pronounce

• pine

  Etymology The word pine is derived from the Latin word pinus which is believed to h

• essay

  Etymology and Meaning of Essay The word essay originates from the Old French term es

• romanticism

  Etymology and Meaning of Romanticism Etymology The term Romanticism is derived from

• concord

  Etymology The word concord derives from the Latin word concordis which means harmo