diplomatics

dip·lo·mat·ics

[dip-luh-mat-iks]
noun (used with a singular verb)
the science of deciphering old official documents, as charters, and of determining their authenticity, age, or the like.

Origin:
1785–95; see diplomatic, -ics

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World English Dictionary
diplomatics (ˌdɪpləˈmætɪks) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
1.  the critical study of historical documents
2.  a less common word for diplomacy

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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00:10
Diplomatics is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia

diplomatics

the study of documents. The term is derived from the Greek word diploma, meaning "doubled" or "folded." Besides the documents of legal and administrative import withwhich it is properly concerned, diplomatics also includes the study of other records such as bills, reports, cartularies, registers, and rolls. Diplomatics is therefore a basic and not simply an auxiliary historical science.

Learn more about diplomatics with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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