academia
n. uncountablen. the world of universities, research, and serious study. It refers to the people, places, and activities involved in higher education.
n. the environment or community of higher education, research, and scholarly activity. Often used to distinguish the university world from the commercial or professional sectors.
She spent her entire career in academia as a history professor.
After years of working in the private sector, he decided to return to academia to pursue a doctorate.
The debate over funding highlights the growing tension between the theoretical pursuits of academia and the practical demands of the modern global economy.
Borrowed from New Latin acadēmīa, from Ancient Greek Ἀκαδημία (Akadēmía), a grove of trees and gymnasium outside of Athens where Plato taught; from the name of the supposed former owner of that estate, the Attica hero Akademos. Doublet of academe, academy, and Akademeia. Modern sense of “the world of universities and scholarship” recorded from 1956.
Uncountable; frequently contrasted with 'industry' or 'the real world'.