philologist
Americannoun
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a person who specializes in philology, the study of literary texts and written records.
An interdisciplinary collaboration between philologists, chemists, and computer scientists is yielding new insights about these medieval manuscripts, all written in different languages or scripts, and most in poor condition.
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(especially in older use) a person who specializes in linguistics, especially historical and comparative linguistics.
The origin of modern historical linguistics is often traced back to Sir William Jones, the English philologist who, in 1782, observed the genetic relationship between Sanskrit, Greek, and Latin.
Etymology
Origin of philologist
Explanation
A philologist is someone who studies the history of languages, especially by looking closely at literature. If you're fascinated with the way English has changed over time, from Beowulf to Beloved, you might want to become a philologist. Linguistics is the study of language, and a philologist is a type of linguist. For a philologist, the most fascinating part of linguistics is the way the history of language, its grammar, and its meaning, can be studied by analyzing written texts and oral traditions of storytelling. Any philologist can tell you that the word comes from the Greek philologia, "love of learning, discussion, and literature."
Vocabulary lists containing philologist
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.
Though Noblesse Oblige is obviously the definitive work on the subject, the controversy really began with a learned paper, published in Helsinki by Philologist Alan S. C. Ross of the University of Birmingham.
From Time Magazine Archive
His collaborator, Nebraskan Philologist Melvin Van den Bark, worked out the main outlines of classification and groupings of words.
From Time Magazine Archive
A third, Moscow Philologist Konstantin Babitsky, 32, was sentenced to three years in exile.
From Time Magazine Archive
Philologist John Allegro of Britain's University of Manchester strongly implied that the scrolls put into question the uniqueness of Jesus.
From Time Magazine Archive
Been away four years as Philologist to the Exploring Expedition.
From Two Years Before the Mast by Dana, Richard Henry
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.
