Glottologist is a noun that refers to a person who is an expert at language.

The Greek word ‘gotta’ (GLAH TA) means ‘tongue,’ and the suffix O-L-O-G-I-S-T means ‘one who studies.’ You could think of our word of the day as a synonym of ‘linguist.’ Here’s an example:

When I wanted to know the origin of our family name, I consulted a glottologist. When we learned our surname was of French origin, we decided to take a trip to France. Given my love of French food, I’m really glad we took the time to meet with that language expert.