plural of global etymology

A folk etymology.

A misunderstanding of the etymology of a word based on an inexpert analysis; an etymology that incorrectly explains the origin of a word based on the inadequate judgement of a common speaker of the language instead of etymological expertise.

simple past tense and past participle of folk-etymologize

present participle of folk-etymologize

Third-person singular simple present indicative form of folk-etymologize

(intransitive) To introduce or develop a folk etymology. / (transitive) To explain the etymology of a word as folk etymology.

A word derived from etyma in two or more source languages; especially a word combining both Latin and Ancient Greek elements, such as quadrilogy, oscilloscope, or automobile.

(philosophy, linguistics) Explanation and analysis—often considered controversial—of one or more concepts or linguistic terms by means of an exposition of their linguistic origins.

(linguistics) The apparent etymology of a term based on components occurring in the modern form of the language, such as earth + -en for earthen, which actually occurred in Old English as eorthene.