diachrony

[ dahy-ak-ruh-nee ]

noun,plural di·ach·ro·nies.
  1. historical change.

  2. Linguistics.

    • the study of a linguistic system through comparison of different points in its history; a diachronic approach to language study: The analysis emphasizes diachrony as a means for understanding sound systems.: Compare synchrony (def. 2).

    • change or development in a linguistic system over a period of time: The diachrony of the language suggests that the bare form was the original.

Origin of diachrony

1
First recorded in 1955–60; diachron(ic) + -y3

Words Nearby diachrony

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024