/ fɪˈlɒlədʒi; NAmE -ˈlɑːl-/ noun
[ U ] the scientific study of the development of language or of a particular language
► phil·olo·gic·al / ˌfɪləˈlɒdʒɪkl; NAmE -ˈlɑːdʒ-/ adjective
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the Greek sense): current usage (late 17th cent.) from French philologie , via Latin from Greek philologia love of learning (see philo- , -logy ).