academic

adjective

ac·a·dem·ic | \ ˌa-kə-ˈde-mik

variants: or less commonly academical \ ˌa-kə-ˈde-mi-kəl

Definition of academic

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : 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

3a : 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

noun

Definition of academic (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : 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.

Other Words from academic Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about academic

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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

In November 2017, more than 300 faculty members signed a petition opposing the deal, citing concerns about academic standards, integrity and freedom. — Tunku Varadarajan, WSJ, "College Bloat Meets ‘The Blade’," 14 Dec. 2018 As Lori Loughlin’s imminent prison sentence demonstrates, children have now become stand-ins for their parents’ egos, meant to accomplish greatness in every possible realm—emotional, academic, athletic, social. — Laura Turner, Glamour, "The Big Problem With the New Screen Time Guidelines for Kids," 26 Apr. 2019 Sadly, William's academic success came on the heels of a great loss, the death of his mother, Princess Diana. — Kayleigh Roberts, Marie Claire, "Prince William Threw Himself Into School as a Distraction When Princess Diana Died," 2 Mar. 2019 The school strives to provide engaging academic opportunities for all members of its now-diverse student body. — Valerie Strauss, Washington Post, "How one Maryland high school successfully boosted minority student enrollment in advanced classes," 10 July 2018 In the past, Pennsylvania’s primary election was largely academic. — Marc Levy, The Seattle Times, "Surprise? Pennsylvania’s 2020 primary could be competitive," 25 Mar. 2019 In academic journals, galleries of paleoart, and even the now-25-year-old Jurassic Park franchise, T. rex has come to represent the ultimate epitome of dinosaurness. — Brian Switek, Smithsonian, "How We Elected T. rex to be Our Tyrant Lizard King," 21 June 2018 IBM Q Network is working with 45 clients, including startups, academic institutions and Fortune 500 clients. — Sara Castellanos, WSJ, "Mercedes Enlists Quantum Computing to Build a Better Electric Vehicle Battery," 25 Feb. 2019 This means that female faculty members are able to encourage others to follow in their footsteps and enter higher education, and that more women become part of the decision-making process in academic institutions. — Amy Mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, "Meghan Markle's First Royal Tour Speech Was an Emotional Call for Female Empowerment," 24 Oct. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

In those days, Microsoft was the one tech giant paying big money to lure top academics into this kind of corporate research. — New York Times, "Silicon Valley’s Giants Take Their Talent Hunt to Cambridge," 3 July 2018 In fact, Florida law prohibits the department from asking about or regulating academics at these schools. — Anchorage Daily News, "Some Florida private schools’ curriculum downplays slavery, says humans and dinosaurs lived together," 1 July 2018 Not coincidentally, this seems to be leading some academics to inflate their publication lists with papers that might not pass such scrutiny. — The Economist, "Some science journals that claim to peer review papers do not do so," 21 June 2018 Research by two academics affiliated with London Business School suggests that as of 2012, families, individuals and private firms controlled more than half of Hong Kong stocks. — Mike Bird, WSJ, "A Major Market’s Major Headache: Stocks That Crash Without Warning," 21 Jan. 2019 In 2013, when M23, a new rebel movement, emerged, two academics, Jason Miklian and Peer Schouten, estimated that third-party truckers selling Bralima’s beer might have been making payments to rebel groups of as much as $1m a year. — The Economist, "How Heineken beer survives in Congo," 21 Apr. 2018 Two rather far-left academics at UC Irvine putting up TV commercials against each other? — Liz Goodwin, BostonGlobe.com, "Orange County tests Democrats’ hope for a suburban blue wave," 21 Apr. 2018 Two Cambridge University academics with expertise in using Facebook data for scientific research claim they were approached by marketing firm Cambridge Analytica to work with the firm but refused on ethical grounds. — Christopher Carbone, Fox News, "Facebook data scandal: Academics refused to carry out 'unethical' Cambridge Analytica research," 26 Mar. 2018 Today, more than 150 academics from around the world belong to the organization, which promotes men's studies and holds conferences. — CBS News, "Academic efforts to understand men gain steam in time of #MeToo," 14 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'academic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for academic

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

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