Aetiology

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /iːtɪˈɒlÉ™dÊ’i/
• US IPA: /itiˈɑlÉ™dÊ’i/

Alternative forms

• ætiology
• etiology American

Origin

From Latin aetiologia, from Ancient Greek αἰτιολογία, from αἰτία ("cause").

Full definition of aetiology

Noun

1. The establishment of a cause, origin, or reason for something.
• 1999, Joyce Crick, translating Sigmund Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams, I.c:I do not know where the idea first arose of enlisting internal (subjective) excitations of the sensory organs as well as external sensory stimuli; but it is in fact done in all the more recent accounts of the aetiology of dreams .
2. The study of causes or causation.
3. (medicine) The study or investigation of the causes of disease; a scientific explanation for the origin of a disease.

Usage notes

Not to be confused with etymology.

Derived terms

• etiologic
• etiological
• etiologically
• etiologist