interdisciplinary

American  

[in-ter-dis-uh-pluh-ner-ee] / ˌɪn tərˈdɪs ə pləˌnɛr i /

adjective

1. combining or involving two or more academic disciplines or fields of study.

   The economics and history departments are offering an interdisciplinary seminar on Asia.

2. combining or involving two or more professions, technologies, departments, or the like, as in business or industry.

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interdisciplinary British  

/ ˌɪntəˈdɪsɪˌplɪnərɪ /

adjective

1. involving two or more academic disciplines

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Etymology

Origin of interdisciplinary

First recorded in 1935–40; inter- ( def. ) + disciplinary ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does interdisciplinary compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• interdisciplinary vs. multidisciplinary

Example Sentences

I am part of an interdisciplinary team of computer science, AI, cybersecurity, psychology, social science, journalism and policy researchers who have sounded the alarm about the threat of malicious AI swarms.

From Salon • Feb. 15, 2026

“Our theater is supposed to be a rehearsal for life,” says Patrick Blenkarn, who co-created the game with Milton Lim, interdisciplinary artists from Canada who often work with interactive media.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2026

“You can create your own interdisciplinary major — you can study design and you can study computer science, and anybody can do that,” he said.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 8, 2026

These efforts highlight the institution's broader commitment to interdisciplinary research that combines biomedicine, artificial intelligence, and data science to advance personalized and precision cancer medicine.

From Science Daily • Dec. 21, 2025

In his acceptance remarks, the honoree alluded to his treasured principle of interdisciplinary collaboration.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• integrative
• multidisciplinary