pedagogical

adjective

ped·​a·​gog·​i·​cal ˌpe-də-ˈgä-ji-kəl  -ˈgō- 

variants or less commonly pedagogic

ˌpe-də-ˈgä-jik 

-ˈgō-

: of, relating to, or befitting a teacher or education

pedagogical methods

pedagogical concerns

pedagogically

ˌpe-də-ˈgä-ji-k(ə-)lē 

-ˈgō-

adverb

Did you know?

Pedagogical, Pedagogy, and Pedagogue

Pedagogical and its cognates present us with an excellent example of how different words can come from the same root, retain closely related meanings, and yet take on distinctive connotations. Pedagogical, pedagogy, and pedagogue all come from the Greek paidagōgos, originally the word for an enslaved person who brought children to school. But while pedagogical and pedagogy have meanings simply related to education, teaching, or teachers (with no implied judgment), pedagogue has taken on a negative tone, often referring to a dull or overly formal teacher. A similar transformation has taken place with many of the pedant- words in English. Pedant originally denoted simply "a tutor," but now tends to mean "one who makes a show of knowledge." Pedantic formerly meant "relating to teaching," but now is more commonly used to mean "unimaginative or dull."

Examples of pedagogical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

First, children were interested in birds, and their discussion eventually focused on birds' eyes, says Will Parnell, EdD, a Portland State University professor and the center's pedagogical liaison. —Sarah Lindenfeld Hall, Parents, 14 Nov. 2023

However artful, the motive behind these biologically accurate images was not aesthetic but pedagogical, said Dr. Suzuki, the geneticist, science broadcaster, prolific author and perhaps Canada’s most prominent environmentalist. —Norimitsu Onishi, New York Times, 20 Oct. 2023

Miss MacIntosh’s pedagogical principles are unusual. —Ryan Ruby, The New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2023

The show needs these actual housewives to establish brand continuity but also to fulfill its pedagogical role in women’s media. —Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2023

Anscombe would probably be proud that his quartet lives on as a common pedagogical demonstration in modern statistics classes. —Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 7 Sep. 2023

My tutor’s fundamental pedagogical principle was that to teach a text meant being, at least for the duration of the tutorial, its most passionate champion. —Nikhil Krishnan, The New Yorker, 26 June 2023

Arguably the most original political film since Battleship Potemkin, if not The Birth of a Nation, La Commune is doubly pedagogical—made to educate its participants as well as its audience. —J. Hoberman, The New Republic, 22 June 2023

At the same time, the pedagogical buzzword of engagement (with respect to learning) continues to gather weight. —Rod Berger, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2021

See More

Word History

Etymology

pedagogical from pedagogic + -al entry 1; pedagogic borrowed from French & New Latin; French pédagogique, borrowed from New Latin paedagōgicus, borrowed from Greek paidagōgikós "suitable for a teacher or trainer," from paidagōgós "attendant on a child, tutor" + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at pedagogue

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined above

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!