etiology

eti·ol·o·gy

noun

plural eti·ol·o·gies

Definition of ETIOLOGY

1

: the cause or causes of a disease or abnormal condition <some types of cancer have a viral etiology> <a multiple etiology in which biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors all play a role—M. E. Jackson et al>

2

: a branch of medical science dealing with the causes and origin of diseases

Variants of ETIOLOGY

eti·ol·o·gy or chiefly British ae·ti·ol·o·gy \ˌēt-ē-ˈäl-ə-jē\