diachrony

[ dahy-ak-ruh-nee ]
/ daɪˈæk rə ni /

noun, plural di·ach·ro·nies.

Linguistics.
  1. a diachronic approach to language study.
  2. change or development in a linguistic system over a period of time.
historical change.

Origin of diachrony

First recorded in 1955–60; diachron(ic) + -y3