academy
/əˈkædəmi/
noun
Origin
Ancient Greek
Ἀκαδήμεια — The public garden or grove near Athens where Plato taught
Overview
Meaning Now
- A place of study or training in a special field.
- A society or institution of distinguished scholars, artists, or scientists.
- A secondary school or college, often private.
Literal older meaning
The grove of Hekademos
Language path
Ancient Greek → Latin → Middle French → English
Earliest form
academie
Earliest period
late 16th century
Journey
The term derives from a specific olive grove in Athens dedicated to the hero Hekademos. Plato began teaching there around 387 BC, establishing a tradition of philosophical inquiry that lasted for nearly 900 years, giving rise to the modern institutional sense of the word.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek
Hekadēmos
“A legendary Attic hero associated with the site”
The eponym of the grove.
- Ancient Greek
Ἀκαδήμεια
“The grove of Hekademos”
Specifically the gymnasium and olive grove where Plato lectured.
- Latin
academia
“A school of philosophy or a place of learning”
Transliterated and generalized by Roman scholars.
- Middle French
académie
“A learned society or academic institution”
Adopted during the Renaissance revival of learning.
- English
academy
“An institution for education or high-level intellectual pursuit”
Standardized spelling in English by the 17th century.
Connections
Word parts
academy
root
site of learning
Related across languages
French
académie
academy
Italian
accademia
academy
Explore next
Related to academy
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.