Dictionary / education
education
- noun
- from Middle French
The process of imparting knowledge, skill and judgment.
1 All current definitions
Every sense of “education” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.
noun
- uncountableThe process of imparting knowledge, skill and judgment.
Good education is essential for a well-run society.
- countableFacts, skills and ideas that have been learned, especially through formal instruction.
He has had a classical education.
Older & obsolete senses (1)
- archaiccountableuncountableUpbringing, rearing.
Cross-check: WordNet senses (6)
- nounthe activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill — also: instruction, teaching, pedagogy, didactics, educational activity
- nounknowledge acquired by learning and instruction
- nounthe gradual process of acquiring knowledge
- nounthe profession of teaching (especially at a school or college or university)
- nounthe result of good upbringing (especially knowledge of correct social behavior) — also: training, breeding
- nounthe United States federal department that administers all federal programs dealing with education (including federal aid to educational institutions and students); created 1979 — also: Department of Education, Education Department
Synonyms: education
2 History of the word
The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.
The word’s journey, newest to oldest:
- English (today)education
- Middle Frenchéducation
- Latinēducātiō “a breeding, bringing up, rearing”
- Latinēducō “to educate, train”
- Latinēdūcō “to lead forth, to take out; to raise up, to erect”
Borrowed from Middle French éducation, from Latin ēducātiō (“a breeding, bringing up, rearing”), from ēducō (“to educate, train”), from ēdūcō (“to lead forth, to take out; to raise up, to erect”). See educate.
Morphologically educate + -ion.
Derivatives — words built from “education”
Phrases & compounds
Related terms
Want to go deeper? See also “education” on Etymonline ↗
3 Original language
Where “education” came from before it was English.
4 Original meaning
What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.
Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913
A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.
education n. [L. educatio; cf. F. .]
- The act or process of educating; the result of educating, as determined by the knowledge skill, or discipline of character, acquired; also, the act or process of training by a prescribed or customary course of study or discipline; as, an education for the bar or the pulpit; he has finished his education.
5 Use it with confidence
Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.
nounMeaning: The process of imparting knowledge, skill and judgment.
Good education is essential for a well-run society.
nounMeaning: Facts, skills and ideas that have been learned, especially through formal instruction.
He has had a classical education.
The educations our children receive depend on their economic status.
nounMeaning: the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill
he received no formal education
nounMeaning: knowledge acquired by learning and instruction
it was clear that he had a very broad education
nounMeaning: the gradual process of acquiring knowledge
education is a preparation for life
a girl's education was less important than a boy's
Three steps to owning it
- Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
- Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
- Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?
6 The mastery game
Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.
Say it, then spell it
education
/ˌɛd͡ʒ.ʊˈkeɪ.ʃən/ · e·du·ca·tion
Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.
Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________
education
/ˌɛd͡ʒ.ʊˈkeɪ.ʃən/ · e·du·ca·tion · noun
Step 1 — Say it and write it
Say “education” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.
Step 2 — Know every meaning
Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.
Step 3 — Which meaning is it?
“Good education is essential for a well-run society.”
Circle the meaning used.
“He has had a classical education.”
Circle the meaning used.
Step 4 — History and origin
Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):
Write three words built from “education” and what each means:
Step 5 — Original meaning
The earliest traceable form is Latin ēdūcō. What did it mean?
How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?
Step 6 — Use it yourself
☐ I can explain its meanings ☐ I know its history ☐ I know its original language ☐ I know its original meaning ☐ I can use it confidently
Answer key — education
Which meaning, sentence 1: B. The process of imparting knowledge, skill and judgment.
Which meaning, sentence 2: A. Facts, skills and ideas that have been learned, especially through formal instruction.
Origin: A. Middle French (Middle French éducation)
Journey: English education ← Middle French éducation ← Latin ēducātiō ← Latin ēducō ← Latin ēdūcō
Some derivatives: antieducation, autoeducation, auto-education, coeducation, countereducation, cybereducation, edjamacation, edjewcation
Original meaning: Latin ēdūcō — “to lead forth, to take out; to raise up, to erect”
Etymology: Borrowed from Middle French éducation, from Latin ēducātiō (“a breeding, bringing up, rearing”), from ēducō (“to educate, train”), from ēdūcō (“to lead forth, to take out; to raise up, to erect”). See educate.
Sources: Wiktionary “education” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/education#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/education