Definition

A person who studies the history and development of languages, especially focusing on words and their meanings.

Example

The philologist spent years researching the origins of ancient texts.

Conversation

Did you know that my cousin is a philologist?

Really? That's interesting! What does he do exactly?

He studies the history of languages and collects old words.

That sounds like a unique job; I bet he knows a lot of cool facts!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Philologist → It is formed from "philo-" (from Greek "philos", meaning loving) and "logia" (from Greek "logos", meaning word or study). A philologist is someone who loves the study of words and language.

Memory Tip

Think of someone who 'loves' ('philo-') the 'study of words' ('logia') — that's what a philologist does.

Visually Confused Words