glottochronology
[ glot-oh-kruh-nol-uh-jee, glot-uh- ]
/ ˌglɒt oʊ krəˈnɒl ə dʒi, ˌglɒt ə- /
noun Linguistics.
the branch of lexicostatistics that studies the rate of replacement of vocabulary and attempts to determine what percentage of basic vocabulary two presently distinct but related languages share, using the information thus obtained to estimate how long ago they ceased being a single language.
Nearby words
- glottidean,
- glottides,
- glottis,
- glottitis,
- glotto-,
- glottogony,
- glottology,
- gloucester,
- gloucester city,
- gloucester old spot
Origin of glottochronology
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
glottochronology
/ (ˌɡlɒtəʊkrəˈnɒlədʒɪ) /
noun
the use of lexicostatistics to establish that languages are historically related
Word Origin for glottochronology
C20 glotto-, from Greek glōtta tongue
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
glottochronology
1953, from glotto- + chronology.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper