November 30, 2009
- dendrochronology (noun)
- \den-droh-kruh-NAH-luh-jee\
- What does it mean?
- : the science of dating past events (such as trends in weather) by studying the growth rings of trees
- How do you use it?
- Through dendrochronology, the scientists determined that the area experienced a period of drought about 250 years ago.
- Are you a word wiz?
Dendrochronology can tell us how long ago something happened. But it doesn't give us any clue about how long the word "dendrochronology" has been around. How long ago do you think English speakers began using the word "dendrochronology"?
"Dendrochronology" has been a part of English for about 80 years. It was formed through the combination of "dendro-" and "chronology." "Dendro-" and "chronology" both have roots in Greek. "Dendro-" comes from the Greek "dendron" meaning "tree" while "chronology" traces to the Greek "chronos" meaning "time." Putting the roots' meanings together gives us "tree time," a simplified definition for "dendrochronology."
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