linguistics

C1 Topic:Communication

US /lɪŋˈɡwɪstɪks/ UK /lɪŋˈɡwɪstɪks/ See IPA manual

Freq #40824

Meanings

1

noun
the scientific study of human language, including its sounds, structures, meanings, use, acquisition, history, and variation

Linguistics examines how speakers organize sounds, words, sentences, meanings, and language use.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the scientific study of... language sciencescience of language

Word family

Derived forms linguisticlinguist

Related forms languagephoneticsphonologymorphology syntaxsemanticspragmaticssociolinguistics

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

structural linguistics
the study of language through the formal relationships among its parts

Adjective + noun

Etymology

Formed in the nineteenth century from linguistic or linguist + -ics, the field-forming suffix seen in names of sciences. Linguist ultimately derives from Latin lingua ("tongue; language"). The modern term emphasizes systematic, scientific analysis of language rather than the older, chiefly textual study called philology.

Topics

Communication Language & Linguistics Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# linguistics

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /lɪŋˈɡwɪstɪks/
**IPA (UK):** /lɪŋˈɡwɪstɪks/
**Frequency rank:** 40824

## Meanings
1. the scientific study of human language, including its sounds, structures, meanings, use, acquisition, history, and variation

## Examples
- Linguistics examines how speakers organize sounds, words, sentences, meanings, and language use.

## Synonyms
- language science
- science of language

## Derived Forms
- linguistic
- linguist

## Related Forms
- language
- phonetics
- phonology
- morphology
- syntax
- semantics
- pragmatics
- sociolinguistics

## Etymology
Formed in the nineteenth century from linguistic or linguist + -ics, the field-forming suffix seen in names of sciences. Linguist ultimately derives from Latin lingua ("tongue; language"). The modern term emphasizes systematic, scientific analysis of language rather than the older, chiefly textual study called philology.

## Topics
- Communication
- Language & Linguistics
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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