Dictionary
di•ach•ro•ny
Pronunciation: (dī-ak'ru-nē), [key]—
n.,
—pl. -nies.
1. Ling.
a. a diachronic approach to language study.
b. change or development in a linguistic system over a period of time.
2. historical change.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.