academia

noun

ac·​a·​de·​mia ˌa-kə-ˈdē-mē-ə How to pronounce academia (audio)
: the life, community, or world of teachers, schools, and education : academe
scientists in industry and academia
a career in academia

Examples of academia in a Sentence

She found the business world very different from academia.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What is less clear is whether academia is preparing graduates enough to meet that bar. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026 This leadership follows a congressional report showing foreign adversaries are actively influencing American academia — shining a spotlight on Indiana and Purdue University, in particular, as both a model for reform and a case study in risk. Joe Gebbia Sr, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026 Weber excelled in schools and later, academia, helping to found the Africana Studies Department at San Diego State University. Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 25 Apr. 2026 Researchers across academia, industry and government agencies are developing road maps to scaling these new pathways for energy-efficient computing and are planning for a future where new materials with fundamentally different properties improve efficiency even more. Gregor Henze, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for academia

Word History

Etymology

latinization of academy (with -ia suggesting a geographic entity), after its Latin etymon, Acadēmia

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of academia was in 1903

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Cite this Entry

“Academia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/academia. Accessed 5 May. 2026.

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