academy

[ uh-kad-uh-mee ]

noun

, plural a·cad·e·mies.

1. a secondary or high school, especially a private one:

   My daughter goes to a very exclusive academy in Chicago.

2. a school or college for special instruction or training in a subject:

   a military academy.

3. an association or institution for the advancement of art, literature, or science:

   the National Academy of Arts and Letters.

4. a group of authorities and leaders in a field of scholarship, art, etc., who are often permitted to dictate standards, prescribe methods, and criticize new ideas.
5. the Academy,
   1. the Platonic school of philosophy or its adherents.
   2. academe ( def 5 ).
   3. French Academy.
   4. Royal Academy.
   5. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Academy

¹

/ əˈkædəmɪ /

noun

1. 1. the grove or garden near Athens where Plato taught in the late 4th century bc
   2. the school of philosophy founded by Plato
   3. the members of this school and their successors
2. short for the French Academy Royal Academy

academy

²

/ əˈkædəmɪ /

noun

1. an institution or society for the advancement of literature, art, or science
2. a school for training in a particular skill or profession

   a military academy

3. a secondary school: now used only as part of a name, and often denoting a private school

Word History and Origins

Origin of academy¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English achademye, achadomye, from Latin Acadēmīa, the name of the public gymnasium near Athens, sacred to the hero Academus, where Plato established his school of philosophy; from Greek Akadēmía, variant of Akadḗmeia, noun use of feminine adjective Akadḗmeios, derivative of Akádēm(os) + -eia adjective suffix; Academus; -y ³( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of academy¹

C16: via Latin from Greek akadēmeia name of the grove where Plato taught, named after the legendary hero Akadēmos

Example Sentences

She said she set up the academy to provide low-cost, "detailed technical coaching" to give children "the opportunities that I never had".

From BBC

But I can also see many academy members — the ones who put “The Zone of Interest” among the best picture nominees last year — placing it atop their ballots.

From Los Angeles Times

But the academy was critical of the "increasingly acrimonious and destructive debate" which it said had been fuelled by unsubstantiated comments on social media and was damaging teamwork across the health service.

From BBC

As a local boy and academy graduate, Mainoo, 19, is the pin-up boy for how the club wants to be represented.

From BBC

Quincy Jones had already written his speech to accept an honorary Oscar this year at the motion picture academy’s annual Governors Awards.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• boarding school
• institute
• prep school
• secondary school
• seminary