Main Entry: eti·ol·o·gy

Pronunciation: \ˌē-tē-ˈä-lə-jē\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural eti·ol·o·gies

Etymology: Medieval Latin aetiologia statement of causes, from Greek aitiologia, from aitia cause

Date: circa 1555

1 : cause, origin; specifically : the cause of a disease or abnormal condition
2 : a branch of knowledge concerned with causes; specifically : a branch of medical science concerned with the causes and origins of diseases