philology

[ fi-lol-uh-jee ]

/ fɪˈlɒl ə dʒi /

noun

the study of literary texts and of written records, the establishment of their authenticity and their original form, and the determination of their meaning.

(especially in older use) linguistics, especially historical and comparative linguistics.

Obsolete. the love of learning and literature.

Nearby words

Origin of philology

1350–1400; Middle English philologie < Latin philologia < Greek philología love of learning and literature, equivalent to philólog(os) literary, studious, argumentative + -ia -y³. See philo-, -logy

Related forms

phil·o·log·i·cal

[fil-uh-loj-i-kuh l] /ˌfɪl əˈlɒdʒ ɪ kəl/, phil·o·log·ic, adjectivephil·o·log·i·cal·ly, adverbphi·lol·o·gist, phi·lol·o·ger, nounnon·phil·o·log·ic, adjective

non·phil·o·log·i·cal, adjectiveun·phil·o·log·ic, adjectiveun·phil·o·log·i·cal, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for philology

All the light to be thrown on this subject had to come from philology and from the geography of plants and animals.
Teutonic Mythology, Vol. 1 of 3|Viktor Rydberg, Ph.D.
His two great passions were philology and p. 58occultism, but he also took great interest in rubbings from brass monuments.
Theodore Watts-Dunton|James Douglas
Philology relates to the study of language, especially when treated in a philosophical manner.
1000 Mythological Characters Briefly Described|Edward S. Ellis
The Greek philology team spends three-quarters of its time in touring the country.
The Patient Observer|Simeon Strunsky

The foundation of Romance philology was due, indeed, to the foreigners Wolf and Diez.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 2|Various

British Dictionary definitions for philology

philology

/ (fɪˈlɒlədʒɪ) /

noun

comparative and historical linguistics

the scientific analysis of written records and literary texts

(no longer in scholarly use) the study of literature in general

Derived Formsphilological (ˌfɪləˈlɒdʒɪkəl), adjectivephilologically, adverbphilologist or rare philologer, noun

Word Origin for philology

C17: from Latin philologia, from Greek: love of language

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for philology

philology

late 14c., "love of learning," from Latin philologia "love of learning, love of letters, love of study, literary culture," from Greek philologia "love of discussion, learning, and literature; studiousness," from philo- "loving" (see philo-) + logos "word, speech" (see logos).

Meaning "science of language" is first attested 1716 (philologue "linguist" is from 1590s; philologer "linguistic scholar" is from 1650s); this confusing secondary sense has not been popular in the U.S., where linguistics is preferred. Related: Philological.