pho·nol·o·gy   (fə-nŏl'ə-jē, fō-)    n.   pl. pho·nol·o·gies The study of speech sounds in language or a language with reference to their distribution and patterning and to tacit rules governing pronunciation. The sound system of a language: the phonology of English. pho·no·log'ic (fō'nə-lŏj'ĭk), pho'no·log'i·cal (-ĭ-kəl) adj., pho'no·log'i·cal·ly adv., pho·nol'o·gist n.

Main Entry: pho·nol·o·gy
Pronunciation: f&-'näl-&-jE, fO-
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -gies
1 : the science of speech sounds including especially the history and theory of sound changes in a language or in two or more related languages
2 : the phonetics andphonemics of a language at a particular time —pho·no·log·i·cal /"fOn-^&l-'äj-i-k&l also "fän-^&l-/ also pho·no·log·ic /-ik/ adjective —pho·no·log·i·cal·ly /-i-k(&-)lE/ adverb