noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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General-American:/ɛθˈnɑɡɹəfi/
Received-Pronunciation:/ɛθˈnɒɡɹəfi/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɒɡɹəfi
1
noun
Meaning 1
The branch of anthropology that scientifically describes specific human cultures and societies.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: anthropology, human-sciences, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: descriptive anthropology
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
An ethnographic work.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
the branch of anthropology that provides scientific description of individual human societies
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: descriptive anthropology
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: anthropology
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Ancient Greek ἔθνος (éthnos)der. English ethno- Proto-Indo-European *gerbh- Proto-Hellenic *grə́phō Ancient Greek γρᾰ́φω (grắphō) Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Ancient Greek -ᾱ (-ā) Ancient Greek -η (-ē) Ancient Greek γραφή (graphḗ) Ancient Greek -γραφίᾱ (-graphíā)bor. French -graphieder. English -graphy English ethnography From ethno- + -graphy.
Across languages
Translations
48 source translations are retained for this English entry.