# Etymology vs. entymology **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [August 6, 2002, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590 "2002-08-06T12:15:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fgarriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c6cbf5/32.png) [@fgarriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fgarriel)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/1 "2002-08-06T12:15:25Z")
[http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/msupercali.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/msupercali.html) > [@](#): > > The only source I can find that gives it even a little credence is an online article in Maxim magazine, which is rarely our first source for **entymological** information: I think that’s a typographical error, but I’m not a writing expert. Sorry if I’m wrong! ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/2 "2002-08-06T13:08:07Z")
Hm, looks like they misspelled the wrong word, even. Should be **etymological**. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/3 "2002-08-06T17:03:37Z")
Isn’t “entymology” the study of the derivation of insects? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/4 "2002-08-06T19:32:20Z")
My mother took a course in **entymology** as a distribution requirement for her degree. The instructor told them that you could tell the difference between **entymology** and **etymology** by remembering that _Ent_ymology is the study of _Ant_s. Like all good mnemonics, it’s really stupid, and impossible to get out of your head. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/5 "2002-08-06T19:44:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Biffy the Elephant Shrew \* > \*\*Isn’t “entymology” the study of the derivation of insects? \*\* No, the study of insects is ent **o** mology. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/6 "2002-08-06T20:39:20Z")
Considering that I had to spell “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and all it’s variants correctly, I think I can be forgiven a few extra letters here and there. Okay, maybe not. We’ll fix it. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/7 "2002-08-06T20:59:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eutychus \* > **Considering that I had to spell “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and all it’s variants correctly** Gaudere’s Law!!! ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/8 "2002-08-06T22:43:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CalMeacham \* > My mother took a course in **entymology** as a distribution requirement for her degree. The instructor told them that you could tell the difference between **entymology** and **etymology** by remembering that _Ent_ymology is the study of _Ant_s. Actually, the study of ants is _myrmecology_. 😃 😉 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/9 "2002-08-07T02:34:56Z")
> [@](#): > > Actually, the study of ants is myrmecology. Yeah. \*You[/i try making a mnemonic out of _myrmecoloy_. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/10 "2002-08-07T07:11:58Z")
> [@](#): > > Actually, the study of ants is myrmecology. So what would formicology be? ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/11 "2002-08-07T08:22:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chronos \* > \*\*So what would formicology be? \*\* The study of formica? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/12 "2002-08-07T09:32:55Z")
Myrmecology is a study of Ethel Merman. ---
**Author:** ![fgarriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c6cbf5/32.png) [@fgarriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fgarriel)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/13 "2002-08-07T12:58:14Z")
> [@](#): > > jjimm said: > **Myrmecology is a study of Ethel Merman.** Ethel Merman is an aunt to someone, q.e.d. ---
**Author:** ![Syzygy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Syzygy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syzygy)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/14 "2002-08-07T18:09:03Z")
Yes, **fgarriel** , but it only works if you pronounce the word incorrectly. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Syzygy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Syzygy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syzygy)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/15 "2002-08-07T18:14:31Z")
Yes, **fgarriel** , but it only works if you pronounce the word “aunt” incorrectly. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![fgarriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c6cbf5/32.png) [@fgarriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fgarriel)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/16 "2002-08-08T14:07:53Z")
ok, then 🙂 Ethel Merman is an aunt to someone who pronounces the word “aunt” incorrectly, q.e.d. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/17 "2002-08-08T19:56:04Z")
ANd here I thought Ethel Merman was a male underwater siren powered by leaded gasoline… ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2002, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/18 "2002-08-09T00:36:31Z")
No, no, that’s an _Ethyl_ Merman, right? ---
**Author:** ![FahKinell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cdc98d/32.png) [@FahKinell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FahKinell)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/19 "2015-05-02T14:05:13Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > So what would formicology be? … would that be formication ?? . ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2015, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590/20 "2015-05-03T00:45:16Z")
> [@FahKinell](#): > > … would that be formication ?? > . Well, yeah, basically, this brings this thread around full circle, after 17+ years. [Formication](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formication) is the feeling that of having antz in your pantz. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-vs-entymology/122590.md?page=2)