glottochronology

noun

glot·​to·​chro·​nol·​o·​gy ˌglä-tō-krə-ˈnä-lə-jē How to pronounce glottochronology (audio)
: a linguistic method that uses the rate of vocabulary replacement to estimate the date of divergence for distinct but genetically related languages
glottochronological
ˌglä-tō-ˌkrä-nə-ˈlä-ji-kəl How to pronounce glottochronology (audio)
-ˌkrō-
adjective

Word History

Etymology

glotto- + chronology

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of glottochronology was in 1953

Dictionary Entries Near glottochronology

glotto-

glottochronology

glottogonic

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Cite this Entry

“Glottochronology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glottochronology. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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