Etymologically
Log in

demographic

Etymology and origin of the English word demographic

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1882

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˌdem.əˈɡræf.ɪk/, /ˌdiː.məˈɡræf.ɪk/[1]

Etymology

It is formed from demography and -ic,[2] or taken from French démographique.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Of or relating to demography: 1882.[2][4][3]

Semantic evolution

Demographer is from 1877.[2] The plural noun, demographics, population statistics, is from 1967,[4] and a demographic, a section of the population, by 1998.[2]

Timeline

  • 1877 – demographer.[2]
  • 1882 – demographic.[2][4]
  • 1967 – demographics.[4]
  • by 1998 – a demographic (noun).[2]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Of or relating to demography, the study of populations.

Noun

  1. A section of the population sharing characteristics such as age, sex or class.
  2. demographics: statistics about a population.

Word family

  • demographically

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b c d Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Demographic.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/demographic. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·