Definition of: philology

(fi·lol′ə·jē) noun
1. The scientific study of written records (chiefly literary works of art), in order to set up accurate texts and determine their meaning, often in terms of linguistic and cultural history.
2. Linguistics.
3. In popular use, etymology.
4. Formerly, literary scholarship, especially classical scholarship. [<F philologie <L philologia <Gk. <philologos fond of argument, words <philos fond + logos a word]
—phil·o·log·ic (fil′ə·loj′ik) or ·i·cal adjective
—phil′o·log′i·cal·ly adverb
—phi·lol′o·gist, phi·lol′o·ger, phil′o·log or ·logue (-lôg, -log) noun