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Noun: etymologizing  ,e-tu'mó-lu,jI-zing
  1. (historical linguistics) an explanation of the historical origins of a word or phrase
    "The linguist's etymologizing of the term revealed its unexpected roots";
    - deriving, derivation
Verb: etymologize  ,e-ti'mó-lu,jIz
  1. Give the etymology, derivation or suggest an etymology (for a word)
    "The linguist probably etymologized the words incorrectly"; "Although he is not trained in this, his hobby is etymologizing";
    - etymologise [Brit]
     
  2. (linguistics) construct the history of words
    "The linguist etymologized the term to trace its origins";
    - etymologise [Brit]

Type of: account, construct, derive, educe [formal], explanation, reconstruct, retrace