WorldAugust 21, 2026

ethnological

eth-nuh-LAJ-ih-kuhl

Definition

Relating to the branch of anthropology that compares and analyzes the characteristics, cultures, and distributions of different human groups.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek 'ethnos' (people or nation) and 'logos' (study or discourse). It entered English in the 19th century to describe the scientific study of human races and cultures.

In the news

The word describes a specific category of protected items covered under a U.S.-Egypt cultural property agreement, which restricts their import to prevent illegal trafficking.

FBI Los Angeles returns 48 cultural artifacts to Egyptian government

Read the full article ↗

CBS News

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