linguistics
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of linguistics
First recorded in 1850–55; see origin at linguistic, -ics
Explanation
Linguistics is the formal study of language. If you like figuring out how words are formed and how they express meaning, you might enjoy studying the science of linguistics. Academics use the term linguistics to describe the science of language. Linguistics includes a broad range of topics ranging from how people learn languages to how phrases and sentences are formed. Remember that linguistics is a plural noun: although it takes a singular verb, it always has an “s” at the end. If you drop the “s” you get a different word, the adjective linguistic, which means "related to language."
Vocabulary lists containing linguistics
Write Makes Might: Words About Written Language
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Booked
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"Simon's Saga," Vocabulary from Episode 23
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the September 2025 issue of the journal Computational Linguistics, he wrote:
From MarketWatch • Dec. 24, 2025
The newspaper also reported she claimed to have gained an MA from the Institute of Linguistics, which she also admitted was untrue.
From BBC • Dec. 21, 2025
"Large language models such as ChatGPT still struggle with compositional generalization, though they have gotten better in recent years," observes Baroni, a member of Pompeu Fabra University's Computational Linguistics and Linguistic Theory research group.
From Science Daily • Oct. 25, 2023
Linguistics master’s programs were also deemed worthy of elimination.
From Washington Times • Aug. 30, 2023
It was only with aspirin and something Fay concocted for me that I was able to finish my linguistic analysis of Urdu verb forms and send the paper to the International Linguistics Bulletin.
From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
