the branch of knowledge that deals with the structure, historical development, and relationships of a language or languages.
chiefly North American literary or classical scholarship.
Derivatives
philologian
Pronunciation: /-ləˈləʊdʒ(ə)n/
noun
philological
Pronunciation: /-ləˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l/
adjective
philologically
Pronunciation: /-ləˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)li/
adverb
philologist
noun
Origin:
late Middle English (in the Greek sense): current usage (late 17th century) from French philologie, via Latin from Greek philologia 'love of learning' (see philo-, -logy)
