education

education — noun

1. the way in which people learn from teachers, instructors, or books in order to b

1.nounA2
Definition

the way in which people learn from teachers, instructors, or books in order to build their abilities and understanding, most often in a formal setting such as a school or university

Example

Tunde received a good education at a school in Lagos, Nigeria.

receive + education (common verb-noun pair)

The government spends billions each year on primary education.

primary / secondary / higher education (levels of education)

Common collocations
  • formal education
  • higher education
  • adult education
  • primary education
  • secondary education
  • receive an education
  • get an education
  • complete one's education
  • education system
  • education reform
Synonyms
  • schooling

    narrower — refers only to institutional learning in schools, not the full process

  • learning

    broader — can happen anywhere, not necessarily in a formal setting

  • instruction

    more formal; emphasises the teaching side rather than the whole experience

  • training

    focuses on practical skills for a specific job or task, not general knowledge

Antonyms
  • ignorance

    the state of lacking knowledge or education

Grammar Patterns

receive + education

have + a/an + adjective + education

education + noun (system, policy, reform)

Usage Note

Education is an uncountable noun when referring to the general concept (✓ Education is important for everyone). However, when describing a specific type, quality, or period of learning, it can take the indefinite article: ✓ She had a good education; ✓ He received a private education.

Common Mistakes

I study education in a primary school' (when meaning you are a student there).
I receive my education at a primary school.
'education' refers to the overall learning process; 'study' as a verb means the act of learning itself.
He has many educations from different countries.
He has received an education in different countries.
'education' is not countable in the plural for this sense.

2. the academic field that studies how people are taught and how they learn, especi

2.nounB2
Definition

the academic field that studies how people are taught and how they learn, especially as a subject offered at a university or college

Example

Hao is studying education at a university in Taipei.

study + education (as a university subject)

Dr. Gabriela works with young children in early education programs.

early childhood education (specialised area)

Common collocations
  • study education
  • degree in education
  • education department
  • education research
  • education policy
  • education theory
  • early childhood education
  • special education
  • education course
Synonyms
  • pedagogy

    more academic and technical; focuses specifically on teaching methods rather than the whole field

  • teaching

    can refer to both the profession and the academic study of how to teach

Grammar Patterns

study + education

degree in + education

education + noun (department, research, degree)

Common Mistakes

I study educate in university.
I study education at university.
'education' is the noun for the academic subject; 'educate' is the verb form and cannot be used as the name of the field.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Education is the broadest term, covering the entire process of acquiring knowledge, skills, values, and habits through formal or informal means. Schooling is narrower — it refers specifically to the institutional experience within schools. Learning is even broader than education: it can happen anywhere, at any age, without a teacher. Instruction highlights the teaching side — the deliberate act of passing on knowledge or skills — and is often used in military or technical contexts. Training focuses on practical abilities for a specific role, such as job training or sports training, rather than the general development of the person. For example: 'Her education included both academic subjects and music lessons'; 'His schooling ended at age sixteen when he left high school'; 'The soldiers received training on how to use the new equipment.'

schooling ↗learning ↗instruction ↗training ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • education system
  • education reform
  • education policy
  • education sector
  • education level
  • education opportunity
  • education program

Adverbs

  • formally educated
  • well educated

Phrases

  • department of education
  • ministry of education
  • standard of education
  • right to education

Prepositions

  • in education
  • of education
  • through education

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word education comes from Latin educatio, meaning 'a bringing up, rearing, training'. This noun is built from the verb educare ('to bring up, to train, to nourish'), which is related to educere ('to lead out, to draw out'), formed from ex- ('out') and ducere ('to lead'). The idea behind the word is that education 'leads out' or develops a person's abilities. English borrowed the word through Middle French éducation in the 1500s.