Related Searches
Nearby Words
learning
- 8 dictionary resultslearn⋅ing
[lur-ning] 
–noun
| 1. | 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. |
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.
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.
learn
[lurn] verb, learned [lurnd] or learnt, learn⋅ing.–verb (used with object)
| 1. | 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
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.
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.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
Cite This Source
|
Link To learning
| learn (lûrn) v. learned also learnt (lûrnt), learn·ing, learns v. tr.
To gain knowledge, information, comprehension, or skill: learns quickly; learned about computers; learned of the job through friends. [Middle English lernen, from Old English leornian; see leis-1 in Indo-European roots.] learn'a·ble adj., learn'er n. |
| learn·ing (lûr'nĭng) n.
|
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
learn
O.E. leornian "to get knowledge, be cultivated," from P.Gmc. *liznojan (cf. O.Fris. lernia, O.H.G. lernen, Ger. lernen "to learn," Goth. lais "I know), with a base sense of "to follow or find the track," from PIE *leis- "track." Related to Ger. Gleis "track," and to O.E. læst "sole of the foot" (see last (n.)). The transitive sense (He learned me how to read), now vulgar, was acceptable from c.1200 until early 19c., from O.E. læran "to teach" (cf. M.E. lere, Ger. lehren "to teach;" see lore), and is preserved in the adj. learned "having knowledge gained by study" (c.1340).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
Main Entry: learn
Pronunciation: 'l&rn
Function: verb
Inflected Form: learned /'l&rnd, 'l&rnt/ also learnt /'l&rnt/; learn·ing
transitive senses
: to acquire (a change in behavior) by learning learn intransitive senses
: toacquire a behavior tendency by learning —learn·er noun
Main Entry: learn·ing
Function: noun
: the process of acquiring a modification in a behavioral tendency by experience (as exposure to conditioning) in contrast tomodifications occurring because of development or a temporary physiological condition (as fatigue) of the organism; also : the modified behavioral tendency itself
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
learning learn·ing (lûr'nĭng)
n.
The act, process, or experience of gaining knowledge or skill.
Knowledge or skill gained through schooling or study.
Behavioral modification especially through experience or conditioning.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
