Question

What does the word etymology mean in this sentence?
The word computer dates to the 1600s, so if you want to know the term’s etymology, you will have to start your research in that time period.

the study of a word's origin and changing meanings

the study of machines used to complete academic tasks

the study of how research has been conducted over time

the study of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries

Answer 1

Etymology is the study of a word's origin and changing meanings

Answer 2

The correct answer is A. The study of a word's origin and changing meanings

Explanation:

In the sentence presented the word "etymology" is used to refer to the origin of the word "computer" in "The word computer dates to the 1600s". This suggests "etymology" is the field that studies the origin and evolution of words and therefore, through etymology, it is possible to know the context in which the word evolve and how this changed over time. Indeed, in linguistics, etymology is a discipline that focuses on the history of words or the way they originate and then evolve. According to this, this word means "The study of a word's origin and changing meanings".