curriculum
Americannoun
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the aggregate of courses of study given in a school, college, university, etc..
The school is adding more science courses to its curriculum.
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the regular or a particular course of study in a school, college, etc.
noun
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a course of study in one subject at a school or college
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a list of all the courses of study offered by a school or college
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any programme or plan of activities
Usage
Plural word for curriculum The plural form of curriculum can be either curricula or curriculums, although curricula is more commonly used. The plurals of several other singular words that end in -um are also formed in the same way, including memorandum/memoranda, and bacterium/bacteria. Irregular plurals that are formed like curricula derive directly from their original pluralization in Latin. However, the usual plural -s ending is often also acceptable for many of these terms, as in curriculums and memorandums.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of curriculum
First recorded in 1625–35; from Latin: “action of running, course of action, race, chariot,” equivalent to curr(ere) “to run” + -i- -i- + -culum -cule 2
Explanation
A curriculum is a set of courses designed to give expertise, like the shoemaking curriculum at Shoe U: Advanced Cutting, Hammering, and Stitching; History of the Heel; and A Cultural History of Walking. Curriculum comes from the Latin word for "running course," or "career," but when we talk about curriculum it's always about school. If you go to a school with a Liberal Arts curriculum, you'll get an education in the humanities with some science, but if you go to a technical school with a hard-core astrophysics curriculum, you probably won't have to take any courses on poetry.
Vocabulary lists containing curriculum
The Vocabulary of College
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Make a Run for It: Cur, Curs
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Schooled
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The curriculum combined fire hose blasts of information about rod physics and trout-stream entomology with hands-on instruction.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
Not all Kitui residents put the blame for school closures solely on the curriculum.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
Some use AI-based tutors that tailor the curriculum to the child’s individual needs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
The board approves state education policy and curriculum.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
The subjects were the same as at a good high school in the United States, although the curriculum was different.
From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola
Licensing for film screenings at schools starts at $49, while corporate licensing for her films starts at $995; purchase of screening rights also comes with curricula to facilitate discussions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
And in New York City, some have asked schools to delay products and curricula based on artificial intelligence for two years until educators better understand them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026
Indeed, some institutions have eliminated whole offices, revised curricula, and restructured programs.
From Slate ● May 14, 2026
There’s a good reason why “Frankenstein” is favored in gothic literature curricula over Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”: Shelley’s novel has infinitely more to parse.
From Salon ● Mar. 8, 2026
I know the answer to every question already, since I’ve studied the seventh- and eighth-grade curricula in Kunu Yaku.
From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau
“To know that my work is part of curriculums and it’s read and studied.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 2026
Other universities are also reconsidering both their curriculums and AI in the classroom.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 4, 2026
"We want curriculums that promote gender equity from a young age," Chombo said.
From BBC ● May 10, 2025
She developed curriculums for students and teachers, organized conferences, and wrote scholarly articles and books to spread a gospel that resonated in progressive congregations and on college campuses.
From New York Times ● Mar. 5, 2024
But form the plurals of others simply by adding s: curriculums; formulas; memorandums; stadiums.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
