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Glite Dictionary
classical philology

classical philology

9.9
Study of ancient languages and texts like Greek, Latin, and Sanskrit
  • noun
  • /ˈklæsɪkəl fɪˈlɑːdʒi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : filología clásica
  • At the conference, several scholars discussed recent developments in classical philology, particularly regarding Latin literature.

Examples

  • The professor published a groundbreaking paper in classical philology that examined the use of metaphor in ancient Greek poetry.

  • Does he have a doctorate in classical philology?

    Blog text (21)

  • Many students choose to major in classical philology to deepen their understanding of ancient texts.

Synonyms

classics
vsclassical philology
13 7.4

Study of the languages, stories, and daily life of ancient Greece and Rome

includes additional ancient languages such as Sanskrit beyond Greece and Rome
philology
vsclassical philology
  • Specialized
2 9.9

Study of how language and books change over time and affect each other

focuses specifically on ancient languages and literatures including Greek Latin and Sanskrit

Surface Forms

classical philology singular
classical philologies plural

Morphology

classical + philology

The phrase is a straightforward adjective+noun composition: 'classical' (pertaining to antiquity) narrows 'philology' (the study of language and literature) to the study of ancient languages and literatures. This compositional pattern is transparent and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Classical philology comes from two parts: classical, which points to old Greek and Roman writings, and philology, a word from Greek that means 'love' and 'words'. So, the name helps you remember it means 'the careful study of ancient languages and literature'.