The Meaning and Origin of the Word "Logic"

The word "logic" comes from the ancient Greek word "logos," which is rich with meaning. It can mean "word," "reason," "discourse," "account," and "study" (among other possible interpretations).

We see it show up frequently at the end of the names of academic subjects as "ology." In such cases, it is generally translated as "the study of." So that Anthropology is the study of humanity, geology, the study of the earth, biology the study of life, etc.

Since logic is the study of reasoning, it can properly be referred to as "logology." I personally like to see the word "logic" as an abbreviation of "logology," the study of study, or reasoning about reasoning.

Optional, but perhaps interesting to many readers: One of the gospels in the New Testament begins "In the beginning was the word ..." (John 1:1). Since the new testament is from the Greek, this 'word' is "logos." Thus, in the beginning was logos, which can be then understood in other ways, including "In the beginning was the discussion" or "In the beginning was the reasoning," continuing, "and the reasoning/discussion/study was with god, and the reasoning/discussion/study was god."

This is also interesting in light of the ancient philosopher Heraclitus, who saw logos as almost deific: It is the ordering principle of the world (Graham, n.d.). Since we know from scientists from Newton on that the universe does seem to have a rational order to it, it would appear that there may be something to Heraclitus's view that there is a logos, a set of rational or unifying principles behind all that we see. It is up to philosophers (in the general sense that includes science) to discover what those principles are.

Reference: 

Graham, D. W. (n.d.). Heraclitus (fl. c. 500 B.C.). Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved October 27, 2016 from http://www.iep.utm.edu/heraclit/