academy

noun acad·e·my \ ə-ˈka-də-mē \

|Updated on: 9 Jun 2018

Examples: academy in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of academy

plural academies

1 a : a school usually above the elementary level; especially : a private high school

b : a high school or college in which special subjects or skills are taught

c : higher education —used with the

the functions of the academy in modern society

2 capitalized

a : the school for advanced education founded by Plato

b : 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

See academy defined for English-language learners

See academy defined for kids

Examples of academy in a Sentence

an academy of the fine arts

Recent Examples of academy from the Web

The Ajax academy youth product, who left Amsterdam to join PSV in 2011, struggled to make an immediate impact at the Philips Stadion.

— SI.com, "Dutch Report Claims Arsenal & Liverpool Are Keen on Rising PSV Starlet," 5 June 2018
How to Vote Unlike other awards shows that are decided by academy members, the CMT Awards winners are all chosen by fans.

— jennifer aldrich, Country Living, "Here's How to Watch and Stream the 2018 CMT Awards," 1 June 2018
The academy will offer a two-year certificate and a three-year associate's degree, Bedford said.

— kaitlin lange, Indianapolis Star, "Republic Airways launches pilot school at Indianapolis airport and plans to add 600 jobs," 31 May 2018
The academy is betting that the immigration policies pushing these students out could actually land them good tech jobs in Mexico.

— gerald f. seib, WSJ, "An Immigration Debate Distinct From Economic Realities," 21 May 2018
Adding hundreds officers in four years would surpass that mandate, but attrition rates and the actual number of police academy graduates each year would probably bring it back down.

— dominic fracassa, San Francisco Chronicle, "SF mayor proposes hiring hundreds of new police officers," 15 May 2018
Subsequently, several academy members resigned or were forced out; the jury is in disarray.

— david l. ulin, latimes.com, "There will be no Nobel Prize in literature this year. And that's a shame.," 11 May 2018
Frostenson and five other academy members have stepped down over the crisis.

— jane onyanga-omara, USA TODAY, "Nobel Prize in Literature postponed after sex abuse scandal," 4 May 2018
Authors Sherman Alexie and Garrison Keillor and architect Richard Meier are among the academy members who have been criticized, with Meier since removed from the Architectural League of New York and Keillor fired from Minnesota Public Radio.

— hillel italie, Fox News, "Arts academy condemns conduct of some members," 10 Apr. 2018

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

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1549

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

academy Synonyms

Synonyms

school, seminary;

elementary school, grammar school, high school, junior high school, kindergarten, middle school, primary school, public school, secondary school, senior high school, trade school, training school;

charter school, magnet school, minischool;

Other Education Terms

baccalaureate, colloquium, corequisite, dissertation, monograph, pedant, practicum, survey course, thesis

ACADEMY Defined for English Language Learners

academy

noun

Definition of academy for English Language Learners

: a school that provides training in special subjects or skills
: a private high school
: an organization of people who work to support art, science, or literature

ACADEMY Defined for Kids

academy

noun acad·e·my \ ə-ˈka-də-mē \

Definition of academy for Students

plural 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.