Question

what does the word etymology mean in this sentence? the word computer dates to the 1600s, so if you want to know the term’s etymology, you will have to start your research in that time period. options: the study of machines used to complete academic tasks; the study of how research has been conducted over time; the study of a word’s origin and changing meanings; the study of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

Explanation:

Etymology is defined as the study of the origin and development (changing) of a word's meaning. The first option is about machines for academic tasks (unrelated), the third is about research methods over time (not etymology), the fourth is about a time period study (not etymology). The second option matches the definition of etymology.

Answer:

the study of a word's origin and changing meanings