-logy

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The English suffix -ology or -logy denotes a field of study or academic discipline, and -ologist describes a person who studies that field. However not every field or study or discipline is an '-ology', for instance the study of childbirth is midwifery and a practitioner is a midwife.

[edit] Etymology

The word ology is a back-formation from the names of these disciplines. "-logy" basically means "the study of ____". Such words are formed from Greek or Latin roots with the terminal -logy derived from the Greek suffix -λογια (-logia), speaking, from λεγειν (legein), to speak. The word ology is thus misleading as the 'o' is actually part of the word stem that receives the -logy ending. For example, the bio part of biology stems from Greek βιος (bios), life. This is why some of the words do not end in -ology (such as mineralogy).

[edit] Other words ending in "ology"

Not all words ending in -ology are ologies in the above sense. In some words such as tautology, philology and haplology, the -logy suffix is from the Greek λογος (logos), word, and may denote something related to speech or text.

[edit] Usage

Although technically incorrect, "-ology" is sometimes used to describe a subject rather than the study of it. Technology is a typical example. This usage is also widespread in medicine; for example, pathology is often used for specific disease ("We have not found the pathology yet").

"Ology" can be appended to any word, humorously, when describing its study; such as beer-ology or Wiki-ology.

There are a few irregular exceptions to the ending "-ologist"; for example theology/theologian.

They can also refer to the 'Ology series of books, fictional encyclopedias, currently including Dragonology: The Complete Book of Dragons, Egyptology: Search for the Tomb of Osiris, Wizardology: The Secrets of Merlin, Pirateology: A Pirate Hunter's Companion, and Mythology: Greek Gods, Heroes, & Monsters.

[edit] See also

[edit] List of -ologies

Contents Top · 0–9 · A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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  • Zooarchaeology, the study and analysis of animal remains at archaeological sites to reconstruct relationships between people, animals, and their environment (also see Archaeozoology)
  • Zoology, the study of animals
  • Zoopathology ("Animal pathology"), the study of animal diseases
  • Zymology, the study of fermentation

[edit] Ologies that are not fields of study

Words ending in -ology that are not fields of study, and thus not "ologies" in the sense of this article, are:

  • Anthology, a collection of literary pieces (such as poems).
  • Apology
    • a statement of regret.
    • an explanation for or justification of beliefs.
  • Arcology - enormous habitat (hyperstructure) of extremely high human population density.
  • Chronology is the arrangement or setting out of past events in order of occurrence; the recording of historical events in date sequence.
  • Cosmetology, the art and career of using cosmetics to improve beauty.
  • Dilogy is
    • ambiguous or equivocal speech, or
    • a work composed in two parts (see trilogy)
  • Docimology, a treatise on the art of testing, e.g. in assaying metals.
  • Doxology, a spoken or sung end of a prayer.
  • Eulogy, though not an -ology, is a commemoration of a person's life at his/her funeral.
  • Hagiology is literature dealing with the life of a saint or, indeed, any revered person, a biography of an individual, rather than a study of saints, sainthood or saintliness in general.
  • Heterology, a dissimilarity of parts often attributable to a difference in origin.
  • Homology, a similarity often atributable to common origin
  • Ideology, sometimes spelled idealogy, is a system of ideas about politics, human life or culture.
  • Kibology, joke religion worshiping Kibo.
  • Menology, a register of months, or a calendar of the lives of the saints for each day of the year.
  • Necrology, a list of people who have died, especially in the recent past or during a specific period.
  • Philology, the historical study of languages. This is not a ology in the strict sense, because it is not the study (-ologia) of love (philo-), but the love (philo-) of literature (logia).
  • Phraseology is the way words are put together, therefore the style being used in a sentence, or the set of phrases or the choice of words used by any particular group of people, or a type of register that reflects the form of language used in a certain social situation in which particular subjects are being discussed.
  • Piphilology seems to be a borderline case with some aspects of a field of study, but not a scientific discipline.
  • Reflexology, alternative method of massage, therapy or pressure on certain points of the sole of the feet as a means of relieving nervous tension.
  • Tautology, a self-affirming truth.
  • Terminology, a set of words and/or phrases, usually in relation to some particular canon or field of study e.g. 'mathematical terminology'.
  • Tetralogy of Fallot, an abnormality of the heart consisting of four deformities that often occur together.
  • Trilogy (although not strictly an -ology) is a body of writing in three parts, as tetralogy is that in four parts. Other words such as pentalogy, hexalogy, and heptalogy or septology cover larger series.
  • Tropology, the use of tropes in speech or writing.
  • A Zumology is a treatise on the fermentation of liquors.

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/-logy"
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