late 14c., ethimolegia “facts of the origin and development of a word,” from Old French etimologie, ethimologie (14c., Modern French étymologie), from Latin etymologia, from Greek etymologia “analysis of a word to find its true origin,” properly “study of the true sense (of a word),” with -logia “study of, a speaking of” (see -logy) + etymon “true sense, original meaning,” neuter of etymos “true, real, actual,” related to eteos “true,” which perhaps is cognate with Sanskrit satyah, Gothic sunjis, Old English soð “true,” from a PIE *set- “be stable.”
mathy interpretation of the bit about truth:
(longer ~ chains are weaker)
true ~~ stable ~~~ a starting point for reasoning ~ point ~ .
mathy interpretation of the bit about truth: (longer ~ chains are weaker) true ~~ stable ~~~ a starting point for reasoning ~ point ~ .