English Reference

Word

academe

US/ˈækəˌdim/

UK/ɐkˈædəmˌi/

Definitions

01the academic world

C1

n. the world of universities, research, and higher education.

n. the scholarly life, environment, or community; the world of higher education and research.

“After years in the business world, she decided to return to academe to finish her PhD.”

“The debate over funding for the humanities continues to cause friction within the halls of academe, pitting research priorities against administrative costs.”

Literary · Formal

Teaching tip

While 'academia' is the standard modern term, 'academe' is used in more formal or literary contexts to sound more sophisticated.

Synonyms

academiascholasticism

02a place of learning

C2

n. a school or university.

n. a place of instruction or a specific institution of higher learning.

“The old university was a famous academe where many great scientists studied.”

“The poet described the ancient city as a noble academe, a sanctuary where the pursuit of truth outweighed the pursuit of profit.”

Literary · Archaic

Teaching tip

This sense is largely restricted to poetry and historical writing; learners should use 'university' or 'academy' in modern prose.

Etymology

From New Latin academia, from Ancient Greek Ἀκαδημία (Akadēmía); Doublet of academia, academy, and Akademeia. Academe (frequently capitalized) is a poetic name for the garden or grove near ancient Athens where Plato taught, supposedly named for its former owner, the hero Ἀκάδημος (Akademos; Ἑκάδημος, Hekademos).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Rare
Updated

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English Reference