Definition of academy
academies
1a : a school usually above the elementary level; especially : a private high schoolb : a high school or college in which special subjects or skills are taughtc : higher education —used with the the functions of the academy in modern society
2 capitalized a : the school for advanced education founded by Platob : the philosophical doctrines associated with Plato's Academy
3 : a society of learned persons organized to advance art, science, or literature
4 : a body of established opinion widely accepted as authoritative in a particular field
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Examples of academy in a sentence
an academy of the fine arts
Did You Know?
Our word academy comes from the Greek word Akademeia, the name of the park or grove outside of ancient Athens where the philosopher Plato taught his students. Just as schools and parks today are often named after famous persons, the Akademeia had been named in honor of a Greek hero, Akademos.
Origin and Etymology of academy
in sense 2, borrowed from Latin Acadēmīa, borrowed from Greek Akadḗmeia, Akadēmía, from the name of the gymnasium near Athens where Plato taught, from Akádēmos, Attic mythological hero + -eia or -ia 2-y; in senses 1, 3, and 4 borrowed from French, Italian, & New Latin; French académie, borrowed from Italian & New Latin; Italian accademia, borrowed from New Latin academia, going back to Latin Acadēmīa
First Known Use: 1549
Other Education Terms
ACADEMY Defined for English Language Learners
academy
playDefinition of academy for English Language Learners
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: a school that provides training in special subjects or skills
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: a private high school
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: an organization of people who work to support art, science, or literature
ACADEMY Defined for Kids
academy
playDefinition of academy for Students
academies
1 : a private high school
2 : a high school or college where special subjects are taught a military academy
3 : an organization which supports art, science, or literature
History for academy
In ancient Greece, a philosopher named Plato started a school at a public exercise field. The field and nearby groves of trees were named for a hero of Greek legend. The English word academy came from the name of the hero for whom Plato's school was named.
Learn More about academy
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for academy Spanish Central: Translation of academy Nglish: Translation of academy for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of academy for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about academy
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