geology English · revision 39752

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=1731|origins=grc γῆ, grc -λογία}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /d͡ʒiˈɑləd͡ʒi/^(Wiktionary)

+ * UK: /d͡ʒiˈɒləd͡ʒi/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It was formed [[af|en|geo-|-logy]] in English,^(OED 2026)^(Dictionary.com 2016) partly after [[m|la-new|geologia|t=the study of the earth]],^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MWU 2024)^(Hoad 1986) from [[grc|γῆ|tr=gê|t=earth, land]] and [[m|grc|-λογία|tr=-logía]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(ODE 2010)^(Klein 1966) In Medieval Latin ''geologia'' had meant the study of earthly things, especially law, as opposed to the arts and sciences, which concern the works of God:^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966)^(AHD 2024) Richard de Bury used it in the title of a work in 1345.^(OED 2026) From the 17th century continental and British writers used the Latin word for the study of geographical and geological features,^(OED 2026) and the OED compares [[it|giologia]] from 1603.^(OED 2026) Barnhart thinks Italian works of the period may have led the French scholar Dauzat to believe that the word was first made in Italian.^(Barnhart 1988) [[m|de|Geologie]] is recorded by 1785.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The science of the earth in general or as a whole: 1731, in the ''Present State of the Republick of Letters'',^(OED 2026)^(HTOED) 1735 in Barnhart and Merriam-Webster.^(Barnhart 1995)^(MWU 2024) Dictionary.com dates the word to 1680–90.^(Dictionary.com 2016) Johnson (1755) defined it as the doctrine of the earth, the knowledge of its state and nature.^(Johnson 1755)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The broad early sense died out in the late 18th century;^(OED 2026)^(SOED 2002) from 1788 the word was narrowed to the science of the earth's physical structure and substance, the processes that act on them, and its history since its formation.^(OED 2026)^(HTOED) Etymonline dates this sense to 1795,^(Etymonline) and Barnhart notes that it was made popular by James Hutton's ''Theory of the Earth'' (1795).^(Barnhart 1988) ''Geological'' and ''geologist'' are also recorded from 1795,^(Barnhart 1988) and Darwin used the verb ''geologize''.^(Etymonline) From 1795 ''geology'' also meant the rocks and structures of a particular area, as in Thomas Jefferson's letters,^(OED 2026)^(SOED 2002) and since 1833 the word has been used of other bodies such as the moon and Mars.^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1345 – Medieval Latin ''geologia'', the study of earthly things.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1731 – the science of the earth in general.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1735 – first known use in Merriam-Webster.^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1788 – the science of the earth's structure and history.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1795 – the geological features of a region.^(OED 2026) ''Geologist'' and ''geological''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1833 – of the moon, planets and other bodies.^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[science]] that studies the origin, history, structure and composition of the [[earth]], especially as recorded in its [[rock|alt=rocks]].^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # The geological features of an area: ''The geology of the island is mostly volcanic basalt.''^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+ # The study of the solid matter of another [[planet]] or [[moon]].^(MWU 2024)^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[geologic]]

+ * [[geologically]]

+ * [[geologist]]

+ * [[astrogeology]]

+ * [[geohydrology]]

+ * [[geologize]]

+ * [[hydrogeology]]

+ * [[paleogeology]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[geography]]

+ * [[geometry]]

+ * [[geo-]]

+ * [[-logy]]

+ * [[Gaia]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}