the study of literary texts and of written records, the establishment of their authenticity and their original form, and the determination of their meaning.
2.
(especially in older use) linguistics, especially historical and comparative linguistics.
Origin: 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
late 14c., "love of learning," from O.Fr. philologie, from L. philologia "love of learning, love of letters," from Gk. philologia "love of discussion, learning, and literature," from philo- "loving" + logos "word, speech." Meaning "science of language" is first attested 1716; this confusing secondary