ethnology

American  

[eth-nol-uh-jee] / ɛθˈnɒl ə dʒi /

noun

1. a branch of anthropology that analyzes cultures, especially in regard to their historical development and the similarities and dissimilarities between them.

2. (formerly) a branch of cultural anthropology dealing with the origin, distribution, and distinguishing characteristics of human societies.

---

ethnology British  

/ ɛθˈnɒlədʒɪ, ˌɛθnəˈlɒdʒɪk /

noun

1. the branch of anthropology that deals with races and peoples, their relations to one another, their origins, and their distinctive characteristics

---

ethnology Cultural  

1. The study of contemporary cultures, in order to develop a theoretical framework for analyzing human society. Cultural anthropologists generally study societies by living among the people, observing, interviewing, and participating in their activities. More than simply describing the customs of these societies, anthropologists attempt to uncover underlying patterns and structures of cultural characteristics, such as language, mythology, gender roles, symbols (see also symbol), and rituals.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• ethnologist
  noun
• ethnological
  adjective
• ethnologically
  adverb
• ethnologic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of ethnology

First recorded in 1835–45; ethno- + -logy

Compare meaning

How does ethnology compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• ethnography vs. ethnology

Explanation

Ethnology is a science that deals with the study of humans, looking at everything from the question of where we all come from to analyzing data about how we choose to live our lives now. With roots in the Greek ethnos meaning "people, nation, race" and logia referring to "the study of," ethnology takes into consideration culture, language, religion, race, and social structure. Unlike ethnography, which focuses on a single group, ethnology compares and contrasts more than one culture with the goal of better understand humanity as a whole.

Example Sentences

Others, like Harvard’s Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, said they are removing items from galleries.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 2, 2024

Their findings were published on 13 September 2023 in the Journal of Ethnology.

From Science Daily • Oct. 2, 2023

The artefact will soon be sent to the National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology of Guatemala City, where it will be on display to the public.

From BBC • Oct. 25, 2021

To gain permission from the Bureau of Indian Affairs agents to enter the reservations, she secured research sponsorship from the Peabody Museum and the federal Bureau of Ethnology.

From Slate • Oct. 25, 2021

The Bureau of American Ethnology worked closely with the United States Geological Survey, an independent federal agency founded at the same time.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

• civilization
• development
• folklore
• habit
• knowledge
• lifestyle
• society
• way of life