learned

American  

[lur-nid, lurnd] / ˈlɜr nɪd, lɜrnd /

adjective

1. having much knowledge; scholarly; erudite.

   learned professors.

2. connected or involved with the pursuit of knowledge, especially of a scholarly nature.

   a learned journal.

3. of or showing learning or knowledge; well-informed.

   learned in the ways of the world.

4. acquired by experience, study, etc..

   learned behavior.

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learned British  

/ ˈlɜːnɪd /

adjective

1. having great knowledge or erudition

2. involving or characterized by scholarship

3. (prenominal) a title applied in referring to a member of the legal profession, esp to a barrister

   my learned friend

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Other Word Forms

• half-learned adjective
• half-learnedly adverb
• learnedly adverb
• learnedness noun
• overlearned adjective
• overlearnedly adverb
• overlearnedness noun
• well-learned adjective

Etymology

Origin of learned

First recorded in 1300–50, learned is from the Middle English word lerned. See learn, -ed ²

Explanation

If you're learned (pronounced LUR-ned), you're highly educated, or you have or show a profound knowledge of some kind. The adjective learned comes from the verb learn. You can use it either to describe someone as having a lot of education, like the learned shopkeeper who used to tell you about the Trojan War while you picked out your candy, or to describe something that doesn't come naturally, but has to be learned (in which case it's pronounced LURND). If you reward your dog when she howls, then her howling will become a learned (LURND) behavior.

Example Sentences

From the Avengers to Ariana Grande to an AI Val Kilmer, here are some of the main films and what we learned.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

How Anthropic learned that Mythos was too dangerous for the wild.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026

If you haven’t heard of Allbirds, picture the first time you learned that merino wool is surprisingly soft and breathable for socks.

From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026

Here’s a peak behind the curtain from an artist’s perspective and what I learned about DJing at the festival.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

From observing and speaking with higher-class séance clients, Maggie had learned to carry herself well.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Related Words

• accomplished
• educated
• scholarly
• scientific
• studied
• well-educated