erudition
Americannoun
Usage
What is erudition? Erudition is knowledge obtained through study or research, as in Students gain erudition through reading and studying. Erudition is similar to such words as knowledge, learning, or scholarship. However, erudition is often used to mean that a person specifically acquired some kind of profound knowledge by extensively reading books, researching reports, or studying manuscripts. For this reason, erudition is typically used to refer to knowledge of topics such as theology or linguistics rather than math or physical sciences. Erudition comes from the adjective erudite, which describes something that is full of knowledge or that is scholarly. Example: The monk was known for his wisdom and erudition, having read every book in the monastery’s 1,000-year-old library.
Related Words
See learning.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of erudition
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin ērudītiōn- (stem of ērudītiō ) “an instruction.” See erudite, -ion
Explanation
If you've read shelves of thick books, people might describe you as a person of erudition. You might find erudition to be its own reward, but if you can make a career of it, even better! The Latin root of erudition is the verb erudire which means "to teach or train." By showing erudition, you show that you've learned a lot. If you write with erudition, your readers will know that you are a serious scholar, as long as you're not too far over their heads.
Vocabulary lists containing erudition
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
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Great Expectations
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"Simon's Saga," Vocabulary from Episode 2
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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.
The Culture Gabfest, “The Erudition is Sick” Edition Listen to 's show about Beavis and Butt-head, literary theory, and indie rock’s decent into banality.
From Slate • Nov. 2, 2011
Erudition and silliness are not mutually exclusive, and no one understood that better than Willy Wonka.
From Newsweek
Pass the Erudition Sir: The community is not as primordial as the individual.
From Time Magazine Archive
But sure there is a middle Way to be followed; the Management of a young Lady's Person is not to be overlooked, but the Erudition of her Mind is much more to be regarded.
From The Spectator, Volume 1 Eighteenth-Century Periodical Essays by Addison, Joseph
You do not take music lessons, I believe, Miss Erudition; and perhaps the forebodings of examination day would be a comparison in which you would be more at home.
From The Magician's Show Box and Other Stories by Child, Lydia Maria Francis
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.
