scholar

noun

schol·​ar ˈskä-lər 

1

: a person who attends a school or studies under a teacher : pupil

2

a

: a person who has done advanced study in a special field

b

: a learned person

3

: a holder of a scholarship

Synonyms of scholar

• teacher
• sage
• pundit
• savant
• wizard

Examples of scholar in a Sentence

She's a renowned scholar of African-American history.

scholars have long debated whether there is ever such a thing as a truly selfless act

Recent Examples on the Web

Detailed look at 1814 British attack on our nation’s capital, with Denver Brunsman, associate professor of history at George Washington University, lecturer at Mount Vernon, and scholar of the American revolution and early American republic. —Staff Report, Baltimore Sun, 6 May 2026

Whatever scholars might assume from the etymology, Morrison said the word’s origins reveal little about the Pharisees besides their existence as a distinct group. —Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 6 May 2026

The numbers are closely watched by scholars because the SBC has long represented the single largest body of evangelical Christians and keeps meticulous records. —ABC News, 5 May 2026

One of those scholars was Bell, the professor whose departure the students were lamenting. —Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 4 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English scoler, from Old English scolere & Anglo-French escoler, from Medieval Latin scholaris, from Late Latin, of a school, from Latin schola school

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing scholar

• Rhodes scholar

Rhymes for scholar

• caller
• collar
• crawler
• dollar
• faller
• haller
• hauler
• holler
• smaller
• squalor
• taller
• trawler

Kids Definition

scholar

noun

schol·​ar ˈskäl-ər 

1

: a person who attends a school or studies under a teacher : pupil

2

a

: a person who has done advanced study in a special area

b

: a learned person

3

: a holder of a scholarship

scholarly adjective