academic

1 of 2

adjective

ac·​a·​dem·​ic ˌa-kə-ˈde-mik How to pronounce academic (audio)
variants or less commonly academical
1
a
: of, relating to, or associated with an academy or school especially of higher learning
the academic curriculum
academic courses
b
: of or relating to performance in courses of study
academic excellence
academic achievements
c
: very learned but inexperienced in practical matters
academic thinkers
d
: based on formal study especially at an institution of higher learning
her academic qualifications
2
: of or relating to literary or artistic rather than technical or professional studies
a region that has both academic and vocational high schools
3
a
: theoretical, speculative
a purely academic question
b
: having no practical or useful significance
4
: conforming to the traditions or rules of a school (as of literature or art) or an official academy : conventional
academic painting

academic

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a member (such as a professor) of an institution of learning (such as a university)
Both of her parents are academics.
b
: a person who is academic in background, outlook, or methods
2
academics plural, chiefly US : academic subjects : courses of study taken at a school or college
He has no interest in academics.

Examples of academic in a Sentence

Adjective She received awards for her academic achievements. I spent my academic career at one school. The board set tough academic standards for graduation. He was offered a teaching job and decided to return to academic life. His interest in sailing is purely academic. He's not a sailor himself. He's not very academic, but he's good with his hands. Noun The book appeals to academics and to the general public. He only cares about sports. He has no interest in academics.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
At the time, recurrent neural networks—once an academic backwater—had suddenly started outperforming other methods of AI engineering. Steven Levy, WIRED, 20 Mar. 2024 The mayor’s announcement about the funding for high-impact tutoring — a specific kind of academic help that consists of frequent, small-group sessions — came at a citywide summit on the topic. Lauren Lumpkin, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024 National Cares Mentoring Movement provides social and academic support to help Black youth succeed in college and beyond. Emily Palmer, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024 The event is a fundraiser for the Newport Harbor Educational Foundation to support academic programs and faculty at Newport Harbor High School. Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024 In addition to playing saxophone in the band, Owen displays leadership in sports, clubs and his academic classes on campus while maintaining a strong GPA. Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 17 Mar. 2024 But Remer said those arguments are too academic to matter to most voters. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024 Sarah Dalton sent her dyslexic 12-year-old son to a strict school with excellent academic results. Emma Bubola, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 This can build a growth mindset in your kids, which is essential for navigating academic and social challenges. Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 7 Mar. 2024
Noun
Experts across the spectrum, from economists to academics to international organizations, have also reached similar conclusions through more rigorous analyses, and many, if not all, warn of the imminent disruption to the job market as AI proliferates. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2024 Welcome to the next Cincinnati Enquirer Student of the Week vote, honoring excellence in character, arts and academics among high school students March 18. Melanie Laughman, The Enquirer, 18 Mar. 2024 But then, the academics and the engineering program itself was really incredible. Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2024 In 2022, the tech industry created 32 significant machine learning models, while academics produced three, a significant reversal from 2014, when the majority of AI breakthroughs originated in universities, according to a Stanford report. Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2024 The Antioch school administrators and school board should make academics a priority, not aesthetics. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 1 Mar. 2024 One of the academics who helped oversee and coordinate the search, former University of Leicester official Richard Taylor, is suing Coogan, his production company Baby Cow and Pathé Productions for libel. Leslie Katz, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Residents and some academics have said that the disruptive noise caused by helicopters circling overhead can cause serious health consequences, including poor sleep and anxiety. Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 29 Feb. 2024 Among the pigeon fanciers in the country are doctors, academics, high-level military, police, intelligence service officers and engineers, The Post reported in 2019. Jennifer Hassan, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'academic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French achademique, academique, borrowed from Latin Acadēmicus "of the school of Plato," borrowed from Greek Akadēmeikós, Akadēmaikós, from Akadḗmeia, a place where Plato taught + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at academy

Noun

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French academique, borrowed from Latin Acadēmicus, noun derivative of Acadēmicus, adjective — more at academic entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of academic was in 1581

Dictionary Entries Near academic

Cite this Entry

“Academic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/academic. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

academic

adjective
ac·​a·​dem·​ic
ˌak-ə-ˈdem-ik
1
: of or relating to school or college
2
: literary or general rather than technical
took the academic course
3
: having no practical importance : theoretical
an academic question
academically
-ˈdem-i-k(ə-)lē
adverb

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