ENGLISH
REFERENCE

scholar

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈskɑɫɝ// UK //skˈɒlɐ// schol·ar General-service

n. a person who spends a lot of time studying a specific subject and knows a great deal about it. You usually find them working at universities or writing books about history, science, or art.

n. a specialist in a particular branch of knowledge, typically within the humanities or social sciences. Often implies a high level of academic achievement or a person who has been awarded a grant for study.


SIMPLE

The history scholar spent years researching the ancient city.

CONTEXTUAL

As a visiting scholar at the university, she gave several lectures on medieval literature to the graduate students.

COMPLEX

While the young researcher showed great promise, it was the senior scholar who provided the necessary historical context to interpret the newly discovered manuscripts correctly.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English scolar, scolare, scoler, scolere (also scholer), from Old English scōlere (“scholar, learner”), from Late Latin scholāris, from schola (“school”), from Ancient Greek σχολή (skholḗ, “spare time, leisure", later, "conversations and the knowledge gained through them during free time; the places where these conversations took place”), equivalent to school + -ar. Compare Saterland Frisian Sköiler, Middle Low German schö̂lære, schö̂lere, schö̂ler (> modern German Low German Schöler), Dutch scholier, German Schüler. Doublet of escolar.

Usage

Often used with 'of' to specify a field, such as a 'scholar of law' or a 'scholar of linguistics'.

Pitfall

He is a scholar in the local high school.He is a student in the local high school.In modern English, 'scholar' refers to an advanced academic or specialist, not a child or teenager in basic education.

Idioms1 entry

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