Dictionary

erudition en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌɛɹuˈdɪʃən/
• /ˌɛɹəˈdɪʃən/
• (Mid-Atlantic, US) audio
• /ˌɛɹʊˈdɪʃən/

Etymology

First attested in the 15th Century. From Middle French érudition, from Latin eruditio (“an instructing, learning, erudition”), from erudire (“to instruct, educate, cultivate”, literally “free from rudeness”), from e (“out”) + rudis (“rude”). By surface analysis, erudite + -ion.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) Profound knowledge acquired from learning and scholarship.
   • As a philosopher he was superior to Lenin in all respects: erudition, knowledge of his subject, independence of thought, and skill in formulating problems. 1978 [1976], Leszek Kołakowski, translated by P[aul] S[teven] Falla, Main Currents of Marxism, volume II: The Golden Age, Oxford: Clarendon Press, translation of Główne nurty marksizmu: rozwój (in Polish), →ISBN, →OCLC, page 434:
   • Professor Archimedes Q. Porter was their only immediate anxiety. Fully assured in his own mind that his daughter had been picked up by a passing steamer, he gave over the last vestige of apprehension concerning her welfare, and devoted his giant intellect solely to the consideration of those momentous and abstruse scientific problems which he considered the only proper food for thought in one of his erudition. 1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York: Ballantine Books, published 1963, page 179:
2. (countable, uncountable) The refinement, polish and knowledge that education confers.

Forms

Deriveds

eruditional

Relateds

erudite · rude

Synonyms

scholarship (profound knowledge) · lore (profound knowledge) · scholarism (profound knowledge) · learning (profound knowledge) · knowledge (profound knowledge) · information (profound knowledge)

Translations (50)

hy ներհունություն (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · pl erudycja (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · cmn 博學 /博学 (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · uk бага́ж зна́нь (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · fi oppineisuus (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · de Bildung (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · de Gelehrtheit (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · sv erudition (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · el λογιότητα (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · tl kaalaliman (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · es erudición (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · ja 博学 (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · he אוֹרְיָנוּת (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · pt erudição (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · pl oczytanie (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · hu tanultság (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · sh начитаност (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · sv vitterhet (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · ia erudition (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · la ērudītiō (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · tr bilginlik (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · uk еруди́ція (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · nl geleerdheid (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · nl eruditie (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · fr érudition (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · bg еруди́ция (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · ru у́мственный бага́ж (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · da erudition (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · hu műveltség (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · de Belesenheit (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · sv bildning (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · sv beläsenhet (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · uk розумо́вий бага́ж (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · el πολυμάθεια (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · cmn 學問 /学问 (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · ko 박학 (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · sh erudicija (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · cmn 學問 /学问 (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · cmn 學識 /学识 (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · sv lärdom (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · el σοφία (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · ru эруди́ция (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · da lærdom (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · de Gelehrsamkeit (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · ro erudiție (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · bn এলেম (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · ru начи́танность (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · gl erudición (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · la doctrīna (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship) · sh načitanost (profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship)