<P> Ontology is the philosophical study of being . More broadly, it studies concepts that directly relate to being, in particular becoming, existence, reality, as well as the basic categories of being and their relations . Traditionally listed as a part of the major branch of philosophy known as metaphysics, ontology often deals with questions concerning what entities exist or may be said to exist and how such entities may be grouped, related within a hierarchy, and subdivided according to similarities and differences . </P> <P> The compound word ontology combines onto -, from the Greek ὄν, on (gen . ὄντος, ontos), i.e. "being; that which is", which is the present participle of the verb εἰμί, eimí, i.e. "to be, I am", and - λογία, - logia, i.e. "logical discourse", see classical compounds for this type of word formation . </P>

The term ontological comes from the greek and means having to do with the science of being