The phrase which defines etymology is 'the history of a word.'
Etymology is the study of the evolution of a word's semantic meaning over time as well as the history of a word's form. Comparative semantics, morphology, semiotics, and phonetics are all used in this area of historical linguistics. In order to learn more about how words were used in earlier times, how they changed in meaning and form, or when and how they entered the language, etymologists consult writings written in and about languages having a long history of writing.
Etymologists also use comparative linguistic techniques to piece together information about forms for which there is no direct evidence accessible. Linguists can draw conclusions about the vocabulary of related languages by comparing them using a method called the comparative approach, which is used to study closely related languages. In this approach, the Indo-European language family's origin can be directly linked to word roots in European languages, for instance.
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