Chronologist

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /kɹəˈnɒləd͡ʒɪst/

Definitions

1. A professional dedicated to the analysis and arrangement of historical timelines through the study of dates and events
2. An individual focused on the sequencing of historical occurrences by examining various time periods and their interrelations
3. A specialist who investigates and orders historical events based on their dates and times

Etymology: "Chronologist" is a noun meaning an expert in timelines, and it was borrowed into English from French "chronologiste." The French form itself is built from "chronologie," so the English word follows the same pattern as its neighbours: a Greek-derived root for time, plus a suffix that marks a person who specialises in something. The root, Greek "khronos," meant time, and "logia" comes from "logos," meaning word, account or study. Put together, "chronology" means the study or arrangement of events in order of time. Adding the suffix "-ist," which in English denotes a practitioner or specialist, produces a person who works with that ordering. The word is therefore a transparent compound at each stage, with no surprising twist in its sense.

Synonyms: historian, timekeeper