syllabus

noun

syl·​la·​bus ˈsi-lə-bəs How to pronounce syllabus (audio)
plural syllabi ˈsi-lə-ˌbī How to pronounce syllabus (audio)
-ˌbē
or syllabuses
1
: a summary outline of a discourse, treatise, or course of study or of examination requirements
2

Examples of syllabus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Apu Trilogy sits on every canonical-movie syllabus and has had obvious influence on filmmakers around the world, but this is not some homework assignment to get through; each of these films is sweet, relatable, and engrossing. David Sims, The Atlantic, 25 June 2025 Students are not waiting for a syllabus update to experiment with AI. Dr. Aviva Legatt, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025 This turns any text into a kind of springboard or syllabus. Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 17 June 2025 All of this can account for the growing syllabus of novels, non-fiction, and plays to be found in Anderson’s own canon. Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 2 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for syllabus

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, alteration of Latin sillybus label for a book, from Greek sillybos

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of syllabus was circa 1656

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Syllabus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/syllabus. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

syllabus

noun
syl·​la·​bus ˈsil-ə-bəs How to pronounce syllabus (audio)
plural syllabi -ˌbī How to pronounce syllabus (audio)
-ˌbē
or syllabuses
: a brief outline (as of a course of study)

More from Merriam-Webster on syllabus

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!