glottochronology
[ glot-oh-kruh-nol-uh-jee, glot-uh- ]
/ ˌglɒt oʊ krəˈnɒl ə dʒi, ˌglɒt ə- /
noun Linguistics.
the branch of lexicostatistics that studies the rate of replacement of vocabulary and attempts to determine what percentage of basic vocabulary two presently distinct but related languages share, using the information thus obtained to estimate how long ago they ceased being a single language.
Origin of glottochronology
First recorded in 1950–55;
glotto- +
chronology
Words nearby glottochronology
glottalized,
glottic,
glottis,
glottitis,
glotto-,
glottochronology,
glottogony,
glottology,
gloucester,
gloucester city,
gloucester old spot
British Dictionary definitions for glottochronology
glottochronology
/ (ˌɡlɒtəʊkrəˈnɒlədʒɪ) /
noun
the use of lexicostatistics to establish that languages are historically related
Word Origin for glottochronology
C20
glotto-, from Greek
glōtta tongue