academy
noun
acad·e·my
ə-ˈka-də-mē 
plural academies
1
a
: a school usually above the elementary level
especially
: a private high school
b
: a high school or college in which special subjects or skills are taught
c
: higher education
—used with the
the functions of the academy in modern society
2
capitalized
a
: the school for advanced education founded by Plato
b
: the philosophical doctrines associated with Plato's Academy
3
: a society of learned persons organized to advance art, science, or literature
4
: a body of established opinion widely accepted as authoritative in a particular field
Did you know?
Our word academy comes from the Greek word Akademeia, the name of the park or grove outside of ancient Athens where the philosopher Plato taught his students. Just as schools and parks today are often named after famous persons, the Akademeia had been named in honor of a Greek hero, Akademos.
Examples of academy in a Sentence
an academy of the fine arts
Recent Examples on the Web
Delivering graduation ceremonies at one of the nation's five military academies is a common ritual for U.S. presidents.
—
Joey Garrison, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
But in recent years, what films are watched by academy members has been increasingly seen as a significant factor in what wins.
—Jake Coyle, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Ryan Holiday planned to reference the academy’s book bans.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 19 Apr. 2025
Ahmed, who lives in Hinsdale, created the academy with the goal of sharing his expertise.
—Shanzeh Ahmad, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for academy
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Joey Garrison, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
But in recent years, what films are watched by academy members has been increasingly seen as a significant factor in what wins.
—Jake Coyle, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Ryan Holiday planned to reference the academy’s book bans.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 19 Apr. 2025
Ahmed, who lives in Hinsdale, created the academy with the goal of sharing his expertise.
—Shanzeh Ahmad, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for academy
Cite this Entry
“Academy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/academy. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
academy
noun
acad·e·my
ə-ˈkad-ə-mē
plural academies
1
a
: school entry 1 sense 1a
especially
: a private high school
b
: an institution for training in special subjects or skills
military academy
2
: an organization of people specializing in knowledge in a particular subject
Etymology
Greek Akadēmeia, the grove outside Athens where Plato had his school
Word Origin
Our word academy comes from the Greek word Akadēmeia, the name of the park or grove outside of ancient Athens where the philosopher Plato taught his students. Just as schools and parks today are often named after famous persons, the Akadēmeia had been named in honor of a Greek hero, Akadēmos.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share