Academic

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /ˌæk.əˈdÉ›m.ɪk/
• US IPA: /ˌæk.əˈdÉ›m.ɪk/
• Rhymes: -É›mɪk

Alternative forms

• academick obsolete
• acad, acad. abbreviation
• Academic

Origin

From both the Medieval Latin acadēmicus and the French académique, from Latin academia, from Ancient Greek ἀκαδημικός, from Ἀκαδημία (Akademia, "the location where Plato taught") (alternative form: Ἀκαδήμεια); compare academy.

MW3 1976

Full definition of academic

Adjective

1. Belonging to the school or philosophy of Plato; as, the academic sect or philosophy. First attested in the late 16th century.
2. Belonging to an academy or other higher institution of learning; also a scholarly society or organization. First attested in the late 16th century.
• academic courses - William Warburton
• academical study - George Berkeley
3. Theoretical or speculative; abstract; scholarly, literary or classical, in distinction to scientific or vocational; having no practical importance. First attested in the late 19th century.I have always had an academic interest in hacking.
4. (art) Conforming to set rules and traditions; conventional; formalistic. First attested in the late 19th century.
5. So scholarly as to be unaware of the outside world; lacking in worldliness.
6. Subscribing to the architectural standards of Vitruvius.

Derived terms

Related terms

Noun

1. (usually capitalized) A follower of Plato, a Platonist. First attested in the mid 16th century.

1. A senior member of an academy, college, or university; a person who attends an academy; a person engaged in scholarly pursuits; one who is academic in practice. First attested in the late 16th century.
• 2013-09-07, The multiplexed metropolis, Academics...see integrated systems for collecting, processing and acting on data as offering a “second electrification” to the world’s metropolises.
2. A member of the Academy; an academician. First attested in the mid 18th century.
• 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, II.4.2.ii:Carneades the academick, when he was to write against Zeno the stoick, purged himself with hellebor first ....
3. (pluralonly) Academic dress; academicals. First attested in the early 19th century.
4. (pluralonly) Academic studies. First attested in the late 20th century.

Derived terms