What is the study of the origin and meaning of a word called?

The study of the origin and meaning of a word is called etymology. This branch of linguistics examines the history of words, tracing their development through time, their origins in different languages, and how their meanings have evolved. Etymologists analyze the components of words, including roots, prefixes, and suffixes, to provide insights into how language grows and changes over the centuries.

In contrast, semiotics deals with signs and symbols as elements of communicative behavior, not focusing specifically on the history of individual words. Syntax pertains to the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences, which involves structure rather than word origin. Phonology is concerned with the system and pattern of sounds in a language, rather than the meanings or histories of words themselves.