An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

1. The study of the form or → structure of anything.
   

2. The → form and structure of a whole entity under study.
   

3. Linguistics: The structure of → words in a → language, including patterns of → inflections and → derivation. The study and description of such structures.

Etymology (EN): From Gk. morphe “form, shape, outward appearance” + → -logy.

Etymology (PE): Rixt “shape, the way something is cast, as in founding,” past stem of rixtan “to cast; to pour; to flow” (Mid.Pers. rēxtan and rēcitan “to flow;” Av. raēk- “to leave, set free; to yield, transfer,” infinitive *ricyā; Mod.Pers; rig in morderig “heritage” (literally, “left by the dead”); cf. Skt. rinakti “he leaves,” riti- “stream; motion, course;” L. rivus “stream, brook;” Old Church Slavic rēka “river;” Rus. reka “river;” Goth. rinnan “run, flow,” rinno “brook;” O.E. ridh “stream.” šenâsi, → -logy.