Figuratively, patina can refer to any fading, darkening, or other signs of age, which are felt to be natural or unavoidable (or both). The chemical process by which a patina forms or is deliberately induced is called patination, and a work of art coated by a patina is said to be patinated. Learn about etymology, the study of word origins and derivations in historical linguistics, and the influence of a Proto-Indoeuropean (PIE) language in the f... The online etymology dictionary (etymonline) is the internet's go-to source for quick and reliable accounts of the origin andhistory of English words, phrases, and idioms. So when Alma-Tadema painted the Parthenon Frieze and included his imagined version of the lost colour, he was picking a side in an art history battle which still rages today. The etymology of etymology itself is relatively straightforward, so we won’t bug you with a lengthy explanation. Etymology ultimately comes from the Greek word etymon, meaning “literal meaning of a word according to its origin.” Etymon in turn comes from etymos, which means “true.” Discover the fascinating etymology of 'hint' and its connections to Hungarian words. Learn about the origins, cultural context, and evolution of Hungarian vocabulary. A genealogist studies the history of a family. A person who studies etymology does the same thing with words. Etymology looks at the roots of words — for example, whether they started out as Latin, Greek, or as some other language — and how they took on their current meaning.