What does "ethnography" mean?
The branch of anthropology that scientifically describes specific human cultures and societies.
Ethnography
/ɛθˈnɑɡɹəfi/ noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The branch of anthropology that scientifically describes specific human cultures and societies.
- Grammar: ethnography is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: anatomy, anthropology, anthropology, craniology.
- Useful contrasts: fiction, lab study, quantitative study.
- Usage evidence: Ethnography requires deep immersion in a community to understand its culture from within.
How to use "ethnography"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "ethnography" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "ethnography" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "ethnography" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "ethnography" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The branch of anthropology that scientifically describes specific human cultures and societies. countable, uncountable
"By the end of the century, the APS’s membership included the leaders of the American anthropological establishment, whose primary investigative interests were the ethnography, linguistics, archeology, and physical anthropology of the American Indian, within a theoretical structure that was essentially historical."
- 2 the branch of anthropology that provides scientific description of individual human societies wordnet
- 3 An ethnographic work. countable, uncountable
"As intellectuals read the written text, compile ethnographies, tour the non-Western terrain, and make art out of the charred remnants of these quests, we always run the risk of fortifying the old culture with neomythologies that continue to invade the private space of others."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Ethnography requires deep immersion in a community to understand its culture from within."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "ethnography"?
Common synonyms include: anatomy, anthropology, anthropology, craniology, cultural analysis, cultural description.
How do you use "ethnography" in a sentence?
Ethnography requires deep immersion in a community to understand its culture from within.
How do you pronounce "ethnography"?
Pronounced /ɛθˈnɑɡɹəfi/.
Etymology
From ethno- + -graphy.