diachronic

[ dahy-uh-kron-ik ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

, Linguistics.

of or relating to the changes in a linguistic system between successive points in time; historical:
diachronic analysis.

diachronic

/ ˌdaɪəˈkrɒnɪk /

See synchronic
of, relating to, or studying the development of a phenomenon through time; historical Compare synchronic
diachronic linguistics

1925–30; < French diachronique (term introduced by F. de Saussure); dia-, chronic

C19: from dia- + Greek khronos time

How does diachronic compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

Now, again I repeat, there is no imaginable difference to sense between the prochronic and the diachronic development.

The two creations,—the extinct and the extant,—or rather the prochronic and the diachronic—here unite.

April 20, 2024flabbergast

[flab-er-gast ]

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Browse