# Etymology is to words as, ?? is to phrases?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-is-to-words-as-is-to-phrases/666761>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 21, 2013, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-is-to-words-as-is-to-phrases/666761 "2013-08-21T00:26:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Nglshmn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90ced4/32.png) [@Nglshmn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nglshmn)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-is-to-words-as-is-to-phrases/666761/1 "2013-08-21T00:26:21Z")

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What is the study of the origins of _phrases_ called? As opposed to Etymology, the study of the origins of _words_…

Is there a different ‘ology’ for phrases?

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**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-is-to-words-as-is-to-phrases/666761/2 "2013-08-21T00:35:13Z")

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[Phraseology.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phraseology) It’s easy to over-think these things sometimes.

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**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-is-to-words-as-is-to-phrases/666761/3 "2013-08-21T02:02:39Z")

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True, but there is such a thing as paremiology, the study of proverbs, including proverbial phrases and folk similes.