■ noun
1》 the study of the structure, historical development, and relationships of a language or languages.
2》 chiefly N. Amer. literary or classical scholarship.
Derivatives
philologian noun
philological adjective
philologically adverb
philologist noun
Origin
ME (in the sense 'love of learning'): from Fr. philologie , via L. from Gk philologia (see philo- , -logy ).