academic

Etymology

From both the Medieval Latin acadēmicus and the French académique, from Latin academia, from Ancient Greek ἀκαδημικός (akadēmikós), from Ἀκαδημία (Akadēmía) or Ἀκαδήμεια (Akadḗmeia), the name of the place where Plato taught; compare academy.

adj

1. Belonging to the school or philosophy of Plato
   the academic sect or philosophy
2. Belonging to an academy or other higher institution of learning, or a scholarly society or organization.
   academic courses - William Warburton
   academical study - George Berkeley
   It was left to the motor industry, half a century later, to destroy Oxford's academic calm. 1959 December, John Alves, “Resorts for Railfans - 29: Oxford”, in Trains Illustrated, page 596
3. In particular: relating to literary, classical, or artistic studies like the humanities, rather than to technical or vocational studies like engineering or welding.
   Programs of work should provide students the opportunities to demonstrate both academic and vocational competence attainment. 1991, Wisconsin State Board of Vocational, Technical and Adult Education, Accountability Report, and ... State Plan for Vocational, Technical and Adult Education in Wisconsin, page 16
4. Having little practical use or value, as by being overly detailed and unengaging, or by being theoretical and speculative with no practical importance.
   I have always had an academic interest in hacking.
   the distinction is 'academic; an academic question
   In theory, a fully intact reverse osmosis membrane should be capable of removing lipopolysaccharide pyrogens […] In practice, this distinction is academic, because pyrogens do not replicate, and as long as the product water is […] 1985, Depyrogenation, page 33
   In practice this distinction is academic, as any small nodule on the surface of a thyroidectomy specimen should be examined histologically. If carcinoma is suspected or proven, the whole surface of the specimen may be marked[…] 1990, David George Lowe, I. J. M. Jeffrey, Surgical Pathology Techniques, Mosby Incorporated
   The question of how many weapons are required for credible deterrence against India is purely academic. May 16, 2011, “Pakistan's AQ Khan: My Nuclear Manifesto”, in Newsweek
   For the majority of owners, its four-wheel-drive endeavours will be of purely academic interest. Nov 10, 2017, “Land Rover Discovery review – SUV's the finest car in the Landy”, in Scottish Daily Record
   As a general matter, we will not consider a protest where the issue presented has no practical consequences with regard to an existing federal government procurement, and thus is of purely academic interest. May 22 2018, Decision, Matter of Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, US Government Accountability Office
5. Having a love of or aptitude for learning.
   I'm more academic than athletic — I get lower marks in phys. ed. than in anything else.
6. (art) Conforming to set rules and traditions; conventional; formalistic.
   1. Subscribing to the architectural standards of Vitruvius.
7. So scholarly as to be unaware of the outside world; lacking in worldliness; inexperienced in practical matters.

noun

1. (usually capitalized) A follower of Plato, a Platonist.
2. A senior member of an academy, college, or university; a person who attends an academy; a person engaged in scholarly pursuits; one who is academic in practice.
   Academics[…]see integrated systems for collecting, processing and acting on data as offering a “second electrification” to the world’s metropolises. 2013-09-07, “The multiplexed metropolis”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8852
3. A member of the Academy; an academician.
4. (archaic) A student in a college.
5. (plural only) Academic dress; academicals.
6. (plural only) Academic studies.