DictionaryAI

academy

noun
uh-KAD-uh-mee/əˈkæd.ə.mi/

Pluralacademies

7 meanings of academy

Practice

  1. 1
    skill trainingnouncountable
    A school that teaches one special skill, such as acting, music, or riding.

    Like a special school where you learn just one skill, such as dance.

    She enrolled in a dance academy when she was seven.

    The riding academy taught him how to jump fences safely.

    UsageUsually with the skill first: a dance academy, a riding academy.

    Similarschool, conservatory

    Note
  2. 2
    school or collegenouncountable
    A school, often a private high school, or sometimes a college.

    She earned a scholarship to a well-known academy in the city.

    Many graduates from that academy went on to teach at colleges.

    UsageUse a capital A in a school's name: Phillips Academy.

    Similarcollege, institute, school

  3. 3
    learned societynouncountable
    A group of skilled or learned people who work together to improve an art or science.

    Like a club where clever people meet to make their subject better.

    She was elected to the academy of sciences in her country.

    Only the best scientists are invited to join the national academy.

    UsageOften academy of something: the academy of sciences. Names take a capital: the French Academy.

    Similarsociety, association, institute

    Note
  4. 4
    nounsingular
    The world of universities and scholars, and the views it accepts as right.

    Like seeing all the world's universities and scholars as one big group.

    Many ideas debated in the academy never reach the wider public.

    He left the academy to start his own company.

    UsageUsually the academy, meaning the world of universities, scholars, and research.

    Note
  5. 5
    school (England)nounUKcountable
    In England, a school paid for directly by the national government and run by a trust, not the local council.

    Their local academy stopped answering to the council last year.

    The academy received its funding straight from central government.

    UsageThis is not a private school. It is close to an American charter school.

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 6
    Plato's schoolnoun
    The school in ancient Athens where Plato taught, and the people who followed his ideas.

    Plato and his students talked about big ideas at the Academy.

    Young men gathered at the Academy to hear Plato speak.

    UsageWrite the Academy, with a capital A.

    Note
  2. 7
    nounobsolete
    The learning that was taught and passed on within an academy.
    Note

Practice

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Origin

From Ancient Greek Akadēmía, the name of a grove near Athens where Plato taught, which was named after the Attic hero Akademos. It came into English through Latin and Middle English.

Checked 6 Nov 2026 · 4 facts