etiology

American  

[ee-tee-ol-uh-jee] / ˌi tiˈɒl ə dʒi /

Or aetiology

noun

plural

etiologies

1. Pathology.

   1. the study of the causes of diseases.

   2. the cause or origin of a disease.

2. the study of causation.

3. any study of causes, causation, or causality, as in philosophy, biology, or physics.

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etiology British  

/ ˌiːtɪəˈlɒdʒɪkəl, ˌiːtɪˈɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. a variant spelling of aetiology

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etiology Scientific  

/ ē′tē-ŏl′ə-jē /

1. The cause or origin of a disease, condition, or constellation of symptoms or signs, as determined by medical diagnosis or research.

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Usage

What does etiology mean? The etiology of a disease is its cause or origin. Etiology is also the name for the study of the causes of diseases. It can also refer to the study of the cause of things in other fields, such as philosophy and physics. But it is most commonly used in the context of medicine. In British English, it is spelled aetiology. Example: The doctors have taken some samples and are working to determine the etiology of the disease.

Other Word Forms

• etiological adjective
• etiologically adverb
• etiologist noun

Etymology

Origin of etiology

First recorded in 1545–55; from Latin aetiologia, from Greek aitiología “determining the cause of something,” from aití(a) “cause” + -o- -o- + -logia -logy

Explanation

If you figure out the etiology of your friend's incessant hiccups, she'll be incredibly grateful, because etiology means "the cause of a disease or condition." The noun etiology is usually used by doctors and researchers who study disease and other medical topics. It means "origin" when you use it to describe illness or medical disorders, and it also refers to the study of the way things are caused. This second definition of etiology includes the study of disease, but you can use it to talk about the origins of anything at all.

Example Sentences

There is no explanation for her illness, no etiology.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025

Being the journalist I am, from the beginning of this strange and bewildering acoustic saga, I wanted to determine the etiology of my hearing decline.

From Salon • Sep. 30, 2024

The program was led by trained instructors with expertise in cardiovascular disease etiology, treatment and prevention.

From Science Daily • Nov. 2, 2023

Each of the epithets has its own etiology, and some of their origins can be traced to their inception.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 4, 2023

In 2012, several further studies corroborated these initial findings, strengthening the links between these variants of mental illness and family histories and deepening questions about their etiology, epidemiology, triggers, and instigators.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee