educated
Americanadjective
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having undergone education.
educated people.
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characterized by or displaying qualities of culture and learning.
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based on some information or experience.
an educated estimate of next year's sales.
adjective
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having an education, esp a good one
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displaying culture, taste, and knowledge; cultivated
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(prenominal) based on experience or information (esp in the phrase an educated guess )
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of educated
Explanation
If you're educated, you've been to school or college, or otherwise been instructed or trained. Using long, fancy words will either make people think you're educated or that you're a show-off. When you make an educated decision about something, you've learned about the subject before making up your mind — you've been educated or educated yourself, and you understand it completely. An educated conversation or debate about a topic is one in which both sides have knowledge about the issues. Educated comes from educate, with its Latin root, educare, which means both "educate" and "bring up or rear children."
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.
Born in Prescot, Sir George was educated at Huyton Secondary School before working as a fitter, engineer and further education lecturer.
From BBC • Jul. 6, 2026
My quip naturally made me recall Donald Trump’s 2015 campaign comment about how he loves the poorly educated.
From Salon • Jul. 6, 2026
AI systems are increasingly capable of performing the creative, analytical and strategic work that was once the exclusive province of educated, well-paid professionals.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 6, 2026
He co-authored the influential textbook Quantum Optics, a resource that has educated generations of physicists.
From Science Daily • Jul. 5, 2026
His excellent manners, educated voice, and physical poise marked him as a gentleman.
From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson
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.
