scholarship

noun

schol·​ar·​ship ˈskä-lər-ˌship How to pronounce scholarship (audio)
1
: a grant-in-aid to a student (as by a college or foundation)
2
: the character, qualities, activity, or attainments of a scholar : learning
3
: a fund of knowledge and learning
drawing on the scholarship of the ancients
Choose the Right Synonym for scholarship

knowledge, learning, erudition, scholarship mean what is or can be known by an individual or by humankind.

knowledge applies to facts or ideas acquired by study, investigation, observation, or experience.

rich in the knowledge of human nature

learning applies to knowledge acquired especially through formal, often advanced, schooling.

a book that demonstrates vast learning

erudition strongly implies the acquiring of profound, recondite, or bookish learning.

an erudition unusual even in a scholar

scholarship implies the possession of learning characteristic of the advanced scholar in a specialized field of study or investigation.

a work of first-rate literary scholarship

Examples of scholarship in a Sentence

She got a scholarship to Yale University. The organization is offering five $5,000 scholarships. The essay is a work of serious scholarship. The book is about his life and scholarship.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
These meetings resulted in scholarships, conservation funds, women’s health initiatives, documentary films and exchange programs. Emese MacZko, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025 Their intent was to promote a scholarship for female chefs, but the execution backfired. Angelique Kuiper, Rolling Stone, 5 Mar. 2025 Tickets are $210-260; discounts and scholarships are available. Jake Richardson, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025 Questions about the scholarship can be directed to the Medical Staff Office at 219-861-8855. Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for scholarship

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1536, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of scholarship was circa 1536

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Cite this Entry

“Scholarship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scholarship. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

scholarship

noun
schol·​ar·​ship ˈskäl-ər-ˌship How to pronounce scholarship (audio)
1
: money given (as by a college) to a student to help pay for further education
2
: the character, qualities, or achievements of a scholar

More from Merriam-Webster on scholarship

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