diachronic

[ dahy-uh-kron-ik ]

adjective

, Linguistics.

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

   diachronic analysis.

diachronic

/ ˌdaɪəˈkrɒnɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or studying the development of a phenomenon through time; historical Compare synchronic

   diachronic linguistics

Other Words From

• dia·chroni·cal·ly adverb
• dia·chronic·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of diachronic¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of diachronic¹

C19: from dia- + Greek khronos time

Example Sentences

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg