Containing a Preface, 3 Chpts, & a Conclusion, this book presents a study of etymological research from the nineteenth & twentieth centuries & compares this to studies from Antiquity & the Middle Ages. It is asserted that etymology is experiencing a period of crisis. From its zenith at the end of the nineteenth century, etymology is no longer presented as an isolated discipline, although it is included in fundamental courses in general linguistics. It is believed that etymology is accepted superficially in dictionaries, but is discouraged in lengthy monographs because of its intrinsic nature. The book is organized chronologically: Chpt 1 covers the nineteenth century, Chpt 2, the first half of the twentieth century, & Chpt 3, the second half of the twentieth century. Bibliog. M. Gordon