knowledge acquired by systematic study in any field of scholarly application.
2.
the act or process of acquiring knowledge or skill.
3.
Psychology. the modification of behavior through practice, training, or experience.
[Origin: bef. 900; ME lerning, OE leornung.See learn, -ing1]
—Synonyms 1.Learning,erudition,lore,scholarship refer to knowledge existing or acquired. Learning is the most general term. It may refer to knowledge obtained by systematic study or by trial and error: a man of learning; learning in the real world. Erudition suggests a thorough, formal, and profound sort of knowledge obtained by extensive research; it is esp. applied to knowledge in fields other than those of mathematics and physical sciences: a man of vast erudition in languages. Lore is accumulated knowledge in a particular field, esp. of a curious, anecdotal, or traditional nature; the word is now somewhat literary: nature lore; local lore. Scholarship is the formalized learning that is taught in schools, esp. as actively employed by a person trying to master some field of knowledge or extend its bounds: high standards of scholarship in history.
to acquire knowledge of or skill in by study, instruction, or experience: to learn French; to learn to ski.
2.
to become informed of or acquainted with; ascertain: to learn the truth.
3.
to memorize: He learned the poem so he could recite it at the dinner.
4.
to gain (a habit, mannerism, etc.) by experience, exposure to example, or the like; acquire: She learned patience from her father.
5.
(of a device or machine, esp. a computer) to perform an analogue of human learning with artificial intelligence.
6.
Nonstandard. to instruct in; teach.
–verb (used without object)
7.
to acquire knowledge or skill: to learn rapidly.
8.
to become informed (usually fol. by of): to learn of an accident.
[Origin: bef. 900; ME lernen, OE leornian to learn, read, ponder (c. G lernen); akin to lesan to glean (c. G lesen to read). See lear]
—Related forms
learn·a·ble, adjective
—Synonyms 1.Learn,ascertain,detect,discover imply adding to one's store of facts. To learn is to add to one's knowledge or information: to learn a language. To ascertain is to verify facts by inquiry or analysis: to ascertain the truth about an event. To detect implies becoming aware of something that had been obscure, secret, or concealed: to detect a flaw in reasoning. To discover is used with objective clauses as a synonym of learn in order to suggest that the new information acquired is surprising to the learner: I discovered that she had been married before.
Main Entry: learn·ing Function: noun : the process of acquiring a modification in a behavioral tendency by experience (as exposure to conditioning) in contrast to
modifications occurring because of development or a temporary physiological condition (as fatigue) of the organism; also: the modified behavioral tendency itself
Learn\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Learned, or Learnt (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Learning.] [OE. lernen, leornen, AS. leornian; akin to OS. lin[=o]n, for lirn[=o]n, OHG. lirn[=e]n, lern[=e]n, G. lernen, fr. the root of AS. l?ran to teach, OS. l[=e]rian, OHG. l[=e]ran, G. lehren, Goth. laisjan, also Goth lais I know, leis acquainted (in comp.); all prob. from a root meaning, to go, go over, and hence, to learn; cf. AS. leoran to go . Cf. Last a mold of the foot, lore.]1. To gain knowledge or information of; to ascertain by inquiry, study, or investigation; to receive instruction concerning; to fix in the mind; to acquire understanding of, or skill; as, to learn the way; to learn a lesson; to learn dancing; to learn to skate; to learn the violin; to learn the truth about something. "Learn to do well." --Is. i. 17. Now learn a parable of the fig tree. --Matt. xxiv. 32. 2. To communicate knowledge to; to teach. [Obs.] Hast thou not learned me how To make perfumes ? --Shak. Note: Learn formerly had also the sense of teach, in accordance with the analogy of the French and other languages, and hence we find it with this sense in Shakespeare, Spenser, and other old writers. This usage has now passed away. To learn is to receive instruction, and to teach is to give instruction. He who is taught learns, not he who teaches.
Learn"ing\, n. [AS. leornung.]1. The acquisition of knowledge or skill; as, the learning of languages; the learning of telegraphy. 2. The knowledge or skill received by instruction or study; acquired knowledge or ideas in any branch of science or literature; erudition; literature; science; as, he is a man of great learning. Book learning. See under Book. Syn: Literature; erudition; lore; scholarship; science; letters. See Literature.
Lit"er*a*ture\, n. [F. litt['e]rature, L. litteratura, literatura, learning, grammar, writing, fr. littera, litera, letter. See Letter.]1. Learning; acquaintance with letters or books. 2. The collective body of literary productions, embracing the entire results of knowledge and fancy preserved in writing; also, the whole body of literary productions or writings upon a given subject, or in reference to a particular science or branch of knowledge, or of a given country or period; as, the literature of Biblical criticism; the literature of chemistry. 3. The class of writings distinguished for beauty of style or expression, as poetry, essays, or history, in distinction from scientific treatises and works which contain positive knowledge; belles-lettres. 4. The occupation, profession, or business of doing literary work. --Lamp. Syn: Science; learning; erudition; belles-lettres. Usage: See Science. -- Literature, Learning, Erudition. Literature, in its widest sense, embraces all compositions in writing or print which preserve the results of observation, thought, or fancy; but those upon the positive sciences (mathematics, etc.) are usually excluded. It is often confined, however, to belles-lettres, or works of taste and sentiment, as poetry, eloquence, history, etc., excluding abstract discussions and mere erudition. A man of literature (in this narrowest sense) is one who is versed in belles-lettres; a man of learning excels in what is taught in the schools, and has a wide extent of knowledge, especially, in respect to the past; a man of erudition is one who is skilled in the more recondite branches of learned inquiry. The origin of all positive science and philosophy, as well as of all literature and art, in the forms in which they exist in civilized Europe, must be traced to the Greeks. --Sir G. Lewis. Learning thy talent is, but mine is sense. --Prior. Some gentlemen, abounding in their university erudition, fill their sermons with philosophical terms. --Swift.
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