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

As part of the project, plans call for a for-profit college to provide media and arts education opportunities and a three-story, 300-bed dormitory for student housing on the site. — Taylor O'Connor 28, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026

Her philanthropy centered heavily on her home region, from the Dollywood Foundation and Imagination Library, a book gifting program that mails free books to children, to disaster relief and education initiatives. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026

California County Superintendents, an association representing the state's 58 county offices of education, supports the change, which includes the Sacramento County Office of Education. — Madisen Keavy, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026

Also among the top tier is an ultracompetitive nursing degree, which translates to an annual income of about $125,000, according to an analysis released Friday by the HEA Group, a national education research firm. — Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 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