Main Entry: phi·lol·o·gy

Pronunciation: \fə-ˈlä-lə-jē also fī-\

Function: noun

Etymology: French philologie, from Latin philologia love of learning and literature, from Greek, from philologos fond of learning and literature, from phil- + logos word, speech — more at legend

Date: 1612

1 : the study of literature and of disciplines relevant to literature or to language as used in literature
2 a : linguistics; especially : historical and comparative linguistics b : the study of human speech especially as the vehicle of literature and as a field of study that sheds light on cultural history

— phil·o·log·i·cal \ˌfi-lə-ˈlä-ji-kəl\ adjective

— phil·o·log·i·cal·ly \-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

— phi·lol·o·gist \fə-ˈlä-lə-jist also fī-\ noun