scholar

noun

schol·​ar ˈskä-lər 

1

: a person who attends a school or studies under a teacher : pupil

2

a

: a person who has done advanced study in a special field

b

: a learned person

3

: a holder of a scholarship

Synonyms of scholar

• teacher
• sage
• pundit
• savant
• wizard

Examples of scholar in a Sentence

She's a renowned scholar of African-American history.

scholars have long debated whether there is ever such a thing as a truly selfless act

Recent Examples on the Web

Experts have already noted that Section 122 was designed to address balance-of-payments deficits, a condition legal scholars argue does not currently exist in the manner the statute requires. —Jay Caruso, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026

Pegah Banihashemi, a native of Iran, is a legal scholar and journalist in Chicago whose work focuses on human rights, constitutional and international law, and Middle East politics. —Pegah Banihashemi, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026

Sarah Al Asmar is a Fulbright scholar pursuing a master’s degree in Public Policy at UCF. —Sarah Al Asmar, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026

It is still used by the team of scholars conducting research at the archaeological park of Pompeii. —ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English scoler, from Old English scolere & Anglo-French escoler, from Medieval Latin scholaris, from Late Latin, of a school, from Latin schola school

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing scholar

• Rhodes scholar

Rhymes for scholar

• caller
• collar
• crawler
• dollar
• faller
• haller
• hauler
• holler
• smaller
• squalor
• taller
• trawler

Kids Definition

scholar

noun

schol·​ar ˈskäl-ər 

1

: a person who attends a school or studies under a teacher : pupil

2

a

: a person who has done advanced study in a special area

b

: a learned person

3

: a holder of a scholarship

scholarly adjective