academia
- 01 C1 Advanced
the community of people, such as professors and students, who work or study at universities.
the collective environment of higher education and research, often viewed as a distinct social or professional sphere.
Simple“After ten years in academia, she decided to look for a job in a private company.”
In context“The transition from academia to the private sector can be challenging for researchers accustomed to the slower pace of peer-reviewed publishing.”
UsageUsually used with the definite article 'the' or as a standalone uncountable noun.
Synonymsuniversity lifethe ivory towerAntonymsthe real worldindustry - 02 C1 Advanced
the life of serious study and writing at a high level.
the pursuit of scholarship and continuous study within higher education institutions.
Simple“He spent his whole life dedicated to academia and never married.”
In context“Her lifelong commitment to academia resulted in several groundbreaking papers that redefined the field of linguistics.”
UsageFunctions as an uncountable noun.
Synonyms
“The research involved 50 experts from academia and industry and refined and tested a big data maturity model revealing how well an organization can manage, analyze and use data.”
“Cambridge had celebrated Arday's appointment as a young black professor, one of a tiny and visible minority in academia.”
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.