study

Mental effort to acquire knowledge or learning.

Noun

  1. Mental effort to acquire knowledge or learning.
    • The study of languages is fascinating.
    • During the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all...
    • Study gives strength to the mind; conversation, grace: the first apt to give stiffness, the other suppleness: one gives substance and form to the statue, the other polishes it. - 1699, Temple, William, Heads designed...
  2. The act of studying or examining; examination.
    • I made a careful study of his sister.
    • Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis:[…]. The evolutionary precursor of photosynthesis is still under debate, and a new study sheds light. The critical...
  3. Any particular branch of learning that is studied; any object of attentive consideration.
    • The Holy Scriptures, especially the New Testament, are her daily study. - 1762, Law, Edmund, An extract from: A serious call to a devout and holy life:
    • The proper study of mankind is man. - 1733, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], epistle II, London: […] J[ohn] Wilford, […], →OCLC:
  4. A room in a house intended for reading and writing; traditionally the private room of the male head of household.
    • Father spends all his time in the study poring over manuscripts.
    • his cheery little study - 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne, “Introductory”, in The Scarlet Letter, a Romance, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, →OCLC:
    • I was asked round once for dinner, and my tongue was hanging out at the sheer scale of it – complete with three bathrooms, two studies, and a sauna. - 2025 August 14, Anniki Sommerville, “I’m sick of my rich friends...

    Synonyms: home office cabinet closet

    Coordinate Terms: boudoir

  5. An artwork made in order to practise or demonstrate a subject or technique.
    • a study of heads or of hands for a figure picture
  6. The human face, bearing an expression which the observer finds amusingly typical of a particular emotion or state of mind.
    • Geoffrey's face was a study.
    • Geoffrey's face was a study in amazement [or in bewilderment, irritation, distress etc.]
  7. A piece for special practice; an etude.
  8. An academic publication.
    • That new study on noncommutative symmetries looks promising.
  9. One who commits a theatrical part to memory.
  10. An endgame problem composed for artistic merit, where one side is to play for a win or for a draw.
  11. A state of mental perplexity or worried thought.
    • wel said the kynge thow mayst take myn hors by force but and I myȝte preue the whether thow were better on horsbak or I / wel said the knyght seke me here whan thow wolt and here nygh this wel thow shalt fynde me / and...
    • When they had stood for a while without speech, gazing over the sea, Gro spake and said, “Consider how as day now dieth in yonder chambers of the west, so hath the glory departed from Witchland.” ¶ But the Red Foliot...
  12. Thought, as directed to a specific purpose; one's concern.
    • My study was to avoid disturbing her.
    • Just men they seemd, and all thir study bent / To worship God aright, and know his works. - 1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd...

Origin

Inherited from Middle English studie, from Old French estudie (Modern French étude), borrowed from Latin studium (“zeal, dedication, study”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tewd- (“to push, to hit”). Doublet of etude and studio.

Forms

studies

Synonyms

study inquiry investigation exploration

Hypernyms

activity

Hyponyms

science mathematics humanities natural science social science philosophy philology

Related

student studious pseudoscience astrology numerology knowledge learning education

Derived

ablation study Bible study biostudy bread study bread-study brown study case study cohort study collective study counterstudy cyberstudy field of study field study forestudy four treasures of the study home study interstudy megastudy metastudy microstudy motion and time study multistudy nonstudy of its own study

Verb

  1. To review materials already learned in order to make sure one does not forget them, usually in preparation for an examination.
    • Students are expected to start studying for final exams in March.
    • I need to study my biology notes.
  2. To take a course or courses on a subject.
    • I study medicine at the university.
  3. To acquire knowledge on a subject with the intention of applying it in practice.
    • Biologists study living things.
    • In 2015, scientists found that 82 percent of glaciers studied in China had decreased in size.
  4. To look at carefully and minutely.
    • He studied the map in preparation for the hike.
  5. To fix the mind closely upon a subject; to dwell upon anything in thought; to muse; to ponder.
    • July 10, 1732, Jonathan Swift, letter to Mr. Gay and The Duchess of Queensberry I found a moral first, and studied for a fable.
  6. To endeavor diligently; to be zealous.
    • And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you […] - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1...

Origin

Inherited from Middle English studien, from Old French estudier (Modern French étudier), from estudie (noun), borrowed from Latin studium. Displaced Old English cneordlæcan.

Forms

studies studying studied no-table-tags glossary study studiest studieth -

Synonyms

con elucubrate research revise sot

Derived

Bible study forestudy nonstudying outstudy overstudy prestudy restudy self-study studiable study up on