Definition: philology

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Source: WordNet (r) 1.7 

philology
     n : the humanistic study of language and literature [syn: linguistics]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) 

Philology \Phi*lol"o*gy\, n. [L. philologia love of learning,
   interpretation, philology, Gr. ?: cf. F. philologie. See
   Philologer.]
   1. Criticism; grammatical learning. [R.] --Johnson.

   2. The study of language, especially in a philosophical
      manner and as a science; the investigation of the laws of
      human speech, the relation of different tongues to one
      another, and historical development of languages;
      linguistic science.

   Note: Philology comprehends a knowledge of the etymology, or
         origin and combination of words; grammar, the
         construction of sentences, or use of words in language;
         criticism, the interpretation of authors, the
         affinities of different languages, and whatever relates
         to the history or present state of languages. It
         sometimes includes rhetoric, poetry, history, and
         antiquities.

   3. A treatise on the science of language.