education

noun

ed·​u·​ca·​tion ˌe-jə-ˈkā-shən 

1

a

: the action or process of teaching or of being or becoming educated

If we fail to adequately invest in the education of our young people then we set ourselves up for the continued negative consequences that we are currently experiencing in our city.

—Robin P. Cooper

also : a stage of such a process see also adult education, continuing education, higher education, physical education, special education

b

: the knowledge and development resulting from the process of learning or being taught

a person of little education

There are lots of places where you can acquire education and skills for free or cheap …

—Brooke Allen

2

: the field of study that deals mainly with methods of teaching and learning in schools

She earned a master's degree in education.

educational

ˌe-jə-ˈkā-sh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

educational policies

educationally

ˌe-jə-ˈkā-sh(ə-)nəl-ē 

adverb

educationally disadvantaged

Synonyms of education

• schooling
• teaching
• instruction

Examples of education in a Sentence

The school is devoted to the education of children with reading difficulties.

She received her education at private schools.

The applicants had comparable educations.

She earned her master's degree in education.

Recent Examples on the Web

Manchester, meanwhile, faced enormous challenges in its comeback, from high levels of poverty and unemployment to poor education and crumbling infrastructure. — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 18 July 2026

Hamad bin Jassim ran much of the diplomacy, Sheikha Moza built the education and cultural project, and the gas wager needed technocrats willing to bet on a market that barely existed. — Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026

The primary federal funding agencies, which include the departments of defense, energy, education, and health and human services; the National Science Foundation; the National Institutes of Health; and NASA, use a similar funding model. — Felix V. Matos Rodriguez, New York Daily News, 17 July 2026

Liz Anderson, another exhibitor, used to work in education but had always been curious about archeology. — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 17 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing education

• adult education
• bilingual education
• compensatory education
• continuing education
• counter-education
• distance education
• driver education
• driver's education
• further education
• higher education
• physical education
• self-education
• sex education
• special education
• tertiary education

Rhymes for education

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

education

noun

ed·​u·​ca·​tion ˌej-ə-ˈkā-shən 

1

a

: the action or process of educating or of being educated

b

: knowledge, skill, and development gained from study or practice

2

: the field of study that deals mainly with methods and problems of teaching

educational

-shnəl 

-shən-ᵊl

adjective

educationally

-ē 

adverb