diachrony

noun

di·​ach·​ro·​ny dī-ˈa-krə-nē How to pronounce diachrony (audio)
1
: diachronic analysis
2
: change extending through time

Word History

Etymology

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.

First Known Use

circa 1939, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of diachrony was circa 1939

Dictionary Entries Near diachrony

Cite this Entry

“Diachrony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diachrony. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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