Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
dictionary thesaurus view recents

diachrony

noun
Save Word
di·​ach·​ro·​ny | \ dī-ˈa-krə-nē How to pronounce diachrony (audio) \

Definition of diachrony

1 : diachronic analysis
2 : change extending through time

First Known Use of diachrony

circa 1939, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for diachrony

borrowed from French diachronie, from dia- dia- + Greek chrónos "time, duration" (of obscure origin) + French -ie -y entry 2

Note: Term introduced, along with the adjective diachronique, by Ferdinand de saussure in the posthumously published Cours de linguistigue générale (Lausanne/Paris, 1916), compiled from lecture notes by his students. See also synchronic, synchrony.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about diachrony

Time Traveler for diachrony

Time Traveler

The first known use of diachrony was circa 1939

See more words from the same year

Statistics for diachrony

Cite this Entry

“Diachrony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diachrony. Accessed 9 Aug. 2020.

Comments on diachrony

What made you want to look up diachrony? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

ferret

Listen to the pronunciation of ferret

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Original Meanings Quiz

  • rembrandt painting a young scholar and his tutor
  • Which of the following is the earliest known sense of the word awe?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Dictionary Devil

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games