educate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to develop the faculties and powers of (a person) by teaching, instruction, or schooling.
- Synonyms:
- indoctrinate, drill, school, instruct
-
to qualify by instruction or training for a particular calling, practice, etc.; train.
to educate someone for law.
-
to provide schooling or training for; send to school.
-
to develop or train (the ear, taste, etc.).
to educate one's palate to appreciate fine food.
-
to inform.
to educate oneself about the best course of action.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
(also intr) to impart knowledge by formal instruction to (a pupil); teach
-
to provide schooling for (children)
I have educated my children at the best schools
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to improve or develop (a person, judgment, taste, skills, etc)
-
to train for some particular purpose or occupation
Related Words
See teach.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of educate
First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English educate, educatyn, from Latin ēducātus “brought up, nurtured, taught” (past participle of ēducāre ), equivalent to ē- + -duc-, variant of dūc- “to lead” + -ātus see e- 1, -ate 1
Explanation
To educate is to teach, train, or inform someone. Teachers educate students. If the word educate makes you think of children, you're not far off. It comes from the Latin word educare meaning to "bring up, rear.” In the 1500s, Shakespeare borrowed it to mean "schooling." These days, any time you're in a classroom listening to a lecture, reading a book, or speaking with a teacher, you're being educated. Teachers educate students all the way from preschool to graduate school. Almost any experience can educate if you learn from it.
Vocabulary lists containing educate
Lead the Way: Duc and Duct
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ate
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Roots: duc, duct
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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.
Also, invest my own personal time in people, not programs, because I do think technology is a beautiful way to start a revolution, to communicate with people, to educate yourself.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
That means the deals are likely here to stay, and you have time to educate yourself, take some test drives, and haggle harder for the car you want at a price you can afford.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
“The Fed staff is going to have the chance to educate the incoming chair on some of the technicalities that might have him rethink some of what he’s written,” Shenfeld said.
From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026
We believe that technologists should design systems that admit uncertainty and need to educate users about how to interpret AI outputs responsibly.
From Salon • May 12, 2026
He had joined the Agitator Corps; after work, they went into the interior to educate the people.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
