語ご源げん説せつ

noun

etymological theory; etymology

Refers to a specific theory about the origin of a word, not the general study of etymology (語源学). Often used when discussing competing explanations for a word's history.

• この語ご源げん説せつにはいくつかの異い論ろんがある。

  There are several objections to this etymological theory.

• 彼かれは新あたらしい語ご源げん説せつを発はっ表ぴょうした。

  He proposed a new etymological theory.