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Added 9 October 2026

ethology

/iːˈθɒl.ə.dʒi/ noun

In Latin: ēthologia Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about ethology at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

The scientific study of animalian behavior, especially that of nonhuman animals.
The study of the human ethos.

Origin

From the Latin ēthologia (“the art of depicting or imitating character”), from the Ancient Greek ἠθολογία (ēthología, “painting of character, especially by mimic gestures”), from ἠθολόγος (ēthológos, “painting character by mimic gestures”), from ἦθος (êthos, “character, especially moral character”). Equivalent to etho- + -logy.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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