Standard Lemma guide

glottochronology

noun · 2 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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  • UK: /ˌɡlɒtəʊkɹəˈnɒlədʒi/
  • US: /ˌɡlɑːtoʊkɹəˈnɑːləd͡ʒi/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The method or study in estimating the time at which a related language diverged from its common ancestor.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

the determination of how long ago different languages evolved from a common source language

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he mapped the glottochronology of the Romance languages

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: chronology

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English glotto- Ancient Greek χρόνος (khrónos)bor. English chrono- Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- Ancient Greek λόγος (lógos) Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh2 Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā) Ancient Greek -λογῐ́ᾱ (-logĭ́ā)bor. Latin -logialbor. French -logiebor. English -logy English chronology English glottochronology From glotto- + chronology.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: լեզվաժամանակագրություն (lezvažamanakagrutʻyun) — the study of languages to determine when they diverged from being the same language
  • Catalan: glotocronologia — the study of languages to determine when they diverged from being the same language
  • Galician: glotocronoloxía — the study of languages to determine when they diverged from being the same language
  • Portuguese: glotocronologia — the study of languages to determine when they diverged from being the same language
  • Russian: глоттохронология (glottoxronologija) — the study of languages to determine when they diverged from being the same language
  • Spanish: glotocronología — the study of languages to determine when they diverged from being the same language
  • Tagalog: paladilataknaan — the study of languages to determine when they diverged from being the same language