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  • lyceum
    lyceum
    noun
    an institution for popular education providing discussions, lectures, concerts, etc.
  • Lyceum
    Lyceum
    noun
    a school and sports ground of ancient Athens: site of Aristotle's discussions with his pupils
Synonyms

lyceum

American  
[lahy-see-uhm] / laɪˈsi əm /

noun

  1. an institution for popular education providing discussions, lectures, concerts, etc.

  2. a building for such activities.

  3. (initial capital letter) the gymnasium where Aristotle taught, in ancient Athens.

  4. a lycée.


lyceum 1 British  
/ laɪˈsɪəm /

noun

  1. a public building for concerts, lectures, etc

  2. a cultural organization responsible for presenting concerts, lectures, etc

  3. another word for lycée

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Lyceum 2 British  
/ laɪˈsɪəm /

noun

  1. a school and sports ground of ancient Athens: site of Aristotle's discussions with his pupils

  2. the Aristotelian school of philosophy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of lyceum

First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin Lycēum, Lycīum, from Greek Lýkeion place in Athens, so named from the neighboring temple of Apollo; noun use of neuter of lýkeios, epithet of Apollo, variously explained

Vocabulary lists containing lyceum

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.

See Examples For:

When someone asked about “pét nat” wines—short for pétillant naturel, a trendy sparkling variety—one young techie pulled faces that would trigger expulsion from a Swiss lyceum.

From The Wall Street Journal May 18, 2026

He won his baccalaureate, and for four years taught history at a lyceum in Hanoi.

From Time Magazine Archive

It is a cardinal principle with lyceum workers, however, to make every possible effort to get through to their engagements at whatever inconvenience or cost.

From From Pillar to Post Leaves from a Lecturer's Note-Book by Bangs, John Kendrick

It possesses a lyceum, a school for teachers, a seminary, a technical school and an experimental agricultural station.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 2 "Gloss" to "Gordon, Charles George" by Various

Besides carrying through many difficult negotiations, he founded the lyceum of Braunsberg, which became the centre of the Roman Catholic mission among Protestants.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 7 "Horticulture" to "Hudson Bay" by Various

Haig began writing a version of the script shortly after the play debuted at the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh in May 2014.

From Los Angeles Times May 29, 2026

Lincoln challenged his audience at the Springfield Lyceum.

From The Wall Street Journal Oct. 7, 2025

The Scottish actor trained at Dundee Rep Theatre before moving on to perform with the Royal Lyceum Theatre, the Royal National Theatre and the RSC, where he gained acclaim for playing King Lear.

From BBC Aug. 11, 2025

Daisy has also featured in the in the UK tour of Annie at the Sheffield Lyceum and appeared as Veruca Salt in the West End production of Warner Bros' Musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

From BBC Jan. 7, 2025

In those days, there were many good stock companies in the neighborhood: Blaney’s, Corse Payton’s and Phillip’s Lyceum.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

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