-ology, -logy, -ologist, -logist

(Greek: a suffix meaning: to talk, to speak; a branch of knowledge; any science or academic field that ends in -ology which is a variant of -logy; a person who speaks in a certain manner; someone who deals with certain topics or subjects)

The word -ology is a back-formation from the names of certain disciplines. The -logy element basically means "the study of ____". Such words are formed from Greek or Latin roots with the terminal -logy derived from the Greek suffix -λογια (-logia), speaking, from λεγειν (legein), "to speak".

The suffix -ology is considered to be misleading sometimes as when the "o" is actually part of the word stem that receives the -logy ending; such as, bio + logy.

Through the years -ology and -logy have come to mean, "study of" or "science of" and either of these suffixes often utilize the form of -ologist, "one who (whatever the preceding element refers to)".

The examples shown in this unit represent just a small fraction of the many words that exist in various dictionaries.

osmology
The study of odors, their production, and their effects.
osmonosology
1. The branch of medicine dealing with diseases and disorders of the organs of smell.
2. The science of olfactory disorders.
osmosology
The science of osmosis.
osphresiology
1. The science of odors and the sense of smell.
2. The study of odors, their productions, and their effects.
osteologist
osteology
osteopathology (s) (noun), osteopathologies (pl)
The science of bone diseases: One of the branches of Nancy's medical studies was osteopathology which dealt with the ailments of the inflexible and stiff connective tissues from which a person's skeleton is made.
otolaryngologist
Someone who is skilled in the practice of otology, rhinology, and laryngology.
otolaryngology
1. A specialty including otology, rhinology, laryngology, and surgery of the head and neck.
2. The branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the ear, nose, and throat.

A medical and surgical specialty concerned with the diagnosis, management, and treatment of diseases and disorders of the ear, nose, throat (ENT) and related structures of the head and neck, including the sinuses, larynx (voice box), oral cavity, and upper pharynx (mouth and throat).

Subspecialty areas within otolaryngology include pediatric otolaryngology (children), otology/neurotology (ears, balance, and tinnitus), allergy, facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, head and neck, laryngology (throat), and rhinology (nose).

Otolaryngology is commonly called ENT by medical specialists in these fields. It is said to be the oldest medical specialty in the United States.

otologist
A physician who specializes in otology.
otology
1. The area of medicine concerned with the structure and function of the ear, its diseases, and their treatments>
2. A branch of medicine that specializes in the diagnosis and medical treatment and surgery of the ear, and its anatomy, physiology, and pathology.
otoneurology
That part of otology dealing especially with portions of the nervous system related to the ear.
otorhinolaryngologist
A specialist in diseases of the ear, nose, and throat.
otorhinolaryngology
The branch of medicine concerned with diseases of the ear, nose, and throat. Otorhinolaryngology is the type of medical specialty that can frustrate a non-medical person, both in trying to pronounce the word properly and with having any idea of what it means.

The words ear, nose, and throat are quite clear; however, and that is what is meant by oto–, rhino–, and laryngo–, which are the translations of “ear”, “nose”, and “larynx" or "upper part of the windpipe”; respectively, when used in combination in various word forms.

otorhinology
The branch of medicine that deals with the nose and ears and their diseases.
Cross references of word families related directly, or indirectly, to: "talk, speak, speech; words, language; tongue, etc.": cit-; clam-; dic-; fa-; -farious; glosso-; glotto-; lalo-; linguo-; locu-; logo-; loqu-; mythico-; ora-; -phasia; -phemia; phon-; phras-; Quotes: Language,Part 1; Quotes: Language, Part 2; Quotes: Language, Part 3; serm-; tongue; voc-.