n.
Pronunciation: f ə - ' lä-l ə -j ē also f ī -
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 \ ˌ fi-l ə - ' lä-ji-k ə l \ adjective
– phil · o · log · i · cal · ly \ -k( ə -)l ē \ adverb
– phi · lol · o · gist \ f ə - ' lä-l ə -jist also f ī - \ noun