Xenoglossy

Origin

From Ancient Greek ξενογλωσσία, from ξένος (ksenos, "foreign") and γλῶσσα (glōssa, "language").

Full definition of xenoglossy

Noun

1. Knowledge of a language one has never learned.
2. Glossolalia.

Synonyms

• xenoglossia

Usage notes

Some writers distinguish xenoglossy from glossolalia, taking the former to mean roughly "knowledge of a language one has never learned" and the latter to mean roughly "speaking a language one does not know". Others do not distinguish the two, using the terms interchangeably or using one term exclusively. When in doubt, it may be preferable to preserve this distinction, and/or to explain what one means when using each term.