# scholar

/ˈskɑɫɝ/ (US) · /skˈɒlɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/scholar
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. an academic expert

noun · CEFR B2

a person who has studied a subject for a long time and knows a lot about it.

For teachers: a person who has achieved a high level of expertise in a specific academic discipline through rigorous study.

- The history scholar spent years researching ancient documents in the library.
- The visiting scholar delivered a series of lectures on the socio-economic impacts of the industrial revolution in Northern Europe.

### 2. a scholarship winner

noun · CEFR B2

a student who receives a scholarship to help pay for their studies.

For teachers: a student who is awarded financial aid or a prestigious position based on academic merit.

- As a Rhodes scholar, she had the opportunity to study at Oxford University.
- The university announced the new cohort of presidential scholars, each of whom demonstrated exceptional potential in the sciences.

### 3. a learned person

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

someone who is very well-educated and enjoys reading and learning.

For teachers: a person who is highly educated or has an aptitude for study and literature.

- He was a true scholar who spent every spare moment surrounded by books.
- Though he never held a formal university post, he was regarded by his peers as a gentleman scholar of the highest order.

## Examples

- The history scholar spent years researching the ancient city.
- As a visiting scholar at the university, she gave several lectures on medieval literature to the graduate students.
- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.