learn

[ lurn ]

verb (used with object)

, learned [lurnd] or learnt [lurnt], learn·ing [lur, -ning].

1. to acquire knowledge of or skill in by study, instruction, or experience:

   to learn French;

   to learn to ski.

2. to become informed of or acquainted with; ascertain:

   to learn the truth.

3. to memorize:

   He learned the poem so he could recite it at the dinner.

4. to gain (a habit, mannerism, etc.) by experience, exposure to example, or the like; acquire:

   She learned patience from her father.

5. (of a device or machine, especially a computer) to perform an analogue of human learning with artificial intelligence.
6. Nonstandard. to instruct in; teach.

verb (used without object)

, learned [lurnd] or learnt [lurnt], learn·ing [lur, -ning].

1. to acquire knowledge or skill:

   to learn rapidly.

2. to become informed (usually followed by of ):

   to learn of an accident.

learn

/ lɜːn /

verb

1. when tr, may take a clause as object to gain knowledge of (something) or acquire skill in (some art or practice)
2. tr to commit to memory
3. tr to gain by experience, example, etc
4. intr; often foll by of or about to become informed; know
5. not_standard.
   to teach

Derived Forms

• ˈlearnable, adjective

Other Words From

• learna·ble adjective
• mis·learn verb mislearned or mislearnt mislearning
• outlearn verb (used with object) outlearned or outlearnt outlearning
• re·learn verb relearned or relearnt relearning

Word History and Origins

Origin of learn¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English lernen, Old English leornian “to learn, read, ponder” (cognate with German lernen ); akin to lesan “to glean” (cognate with German lesen “to read”). See lear

Word History and Origins

Origin of learn¹

Old English leornian; related to Old High German lirnen

Idioms and Phrases

• by heart, learn
• little knowledge (learning) is a dangerous thing
• live and learn

Example Sentences

What has he learned on the road with country music’s biggest superstar?

From Los Angeles Times

The actor told the publication his addiction began with wine, specifically with a wine cellar he had built into his home where he "learned to drink my best."

From Salon

Along those lines, we also learn that the series itself will burst out of FX's metaphorical chest to say hello to the world in Summer 2025.

From Salon

Timbuktu was a major centre of Islamic learning between the 13th and 17th Centuries and was added to the Unesco world heritage list in 1988.

From BBC

Unlike kids in the United States, hunter-gatherer children in the Congo Basin have often learned how to hunt, identify edible plants and care for babies by the tender age of six or seven.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• determine
• enroll
• gain
• get
• grasp
• master
• pick up
• read
• receive
• review
• study

When To Use

What are other ways to say learn?

To learn something is to acquire knowledge of it through study or experience. How does learn compare with discover, ascertain, and detect? Find out on Thesaurus.com.