dialectology

noun

di·a·lec·tol·o·gy ˌdī-ə-ˌlek-ˈtä-lə-jē

1

: the systematic study of dialect

2

: the body of data available for study of a dialect

dialectological

ˌdī-ə-ˌlek-tə-ˈlä-ji-kəl

adjective

dialectologically

ˌdī-ə-ˌlek-tə-ˈlä-ji-k(ə-)lē

adverb

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of dialectology was in 1820

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Browse Nearby Words

dialectologist

dialectology

dialer

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Dialectology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dialectology. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

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