Studies

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈstʌdiz/

Definitions

1. The systematic exploration and analysis of various subjects to acquire knowledge involves both research and educational pursuits
2. The process of conducting organized research to gain understanding ; formal educational classes or programs considered as a whole ; careful review or analysis of a topic or material
3. Engaging in methodical inquiry to discover facts and relationships ; school or university lessons forming part of a curriculum ; attentive observation or contemplation of specific information

Etymology: "Studies" is simply the plural of "study," so its history is the history of "study." That word came into English from Old French "estudier," meaning "to study" or "to apply oneself," which itself came from Latin "studium," meaning "zeal, dedication, study." The Latin noun carried the sense of eager, focused application before it meant academic work, and the English word kept that intensity: to study was to direct your energy at something. The English word also replaced an older term. Before "study" arrived, Old English speakers used "cneordlæcan" for the activity, a compound of words meaning roughly "to practise" and "to read," but Middle English borrowing from French displaced it. The Latin root is a doublet of "etude" and "studio," so the same word reached English through a French musical term and an Italian word for an artist's workshop.

Synonyms: research, examinations, analyses

Antonyms: ignorance, neglect