learning

learning — noun

1. the ongoing activity of gaining new knowledge or skills by studying, practising,

1.nounA2
Definition

the ongoing activity of gaining new knowledge or skills by studying, practising, or doing something

Example

Diya's love of learning led her to sign up for a weekend pottery course.

love of learning — common noun + preposition collocation

The primary school introduced a play-based learning programme for the youngest children.

play-based learning — compound noun as modifier

Common collocations
  • lifelong learning
  • online learning
  • distance learning
  • active learning
  • play-based learning
  • learning process
  • learning experience
  • learning environment
Synonyms
  • education

    broader concept that includes both teaching and learning; often refers to formal schooling

  • study

    more focused on the deliberate act of reading and memorising material

  • training

    emphasises practical skill development for a specific job or task

Grammar Patterns

uncountable noun

adjective + learning

learning + noun (compound modifier)

Usage Note

Often appears in compound nouns that describe types or modes of learning (e.g. 'online learning', 'distance learning', 'play-based learning'). Cannot be used in the plural.

Common Mistakes

I enjoy learnings new things every day.
I enjoy learning new things every day.
'learning' meaning the process is uncountable; 'learnings' is non-standard in this sense.

2. the body of knowledge and understanding that a person has gained through study o

2.nounB1
Definition

the body of knowledge and understanding that a person has gained through study or experience over time

Example

Professor Kabir's vast learning in ancient Indian literature is known across the university.

vast learning in [field] — adjective + noun + preposition pattern

Christopher's deep learning in biology helped him understand the effects of the new treatment.

deep learning in [field] — adjective + noun collocation

Common collocations
  • vast learning
  • deep learning
  • great learning
  • learning in [subject]
  • learning about [topic]
Synonyms
  • knowledge

    more common and less formal; can refer to knowing specific facts rather than deep understanding

  • scholarship

    more narrowly academic; implies systematic study and research within a field

  • erudition

    very formal; suggests broad and deep knowledge acquired through extensive reading

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

uncountable noun

possessive + adjective + learning

learning + in + field of study

Usage Note

More formal than 'knowledge'. Typically requires a preceding adjective (e.g. 'vast', 'deep', 'great') or a possessive determiner. Commonly appears in academic or intellectual contexts describing a person's accumulated expertise.

Common Mistakes

His learnings in chemistry are impressive.
His learning in chemistry is impressive.
'learning' meaning accumulated knowledge is uncountable and takes singular verb agreement.

Word family

  • learn
    verbA1
  • learner
    nounA2
  • learned
    adjectiveB2
  • learnable
    adjectiveC1
  • unlearn
    verbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All four words refer to what someone knows, but they differ in range and formality. 'Knowledge' is the broadest and most everyday term — it covers any facts or information a person has, from practical know-how to scientific facts. 'Learning' is more formal and suggests a body of knowledge acquired through sustained study or experience; you would say 'a person of great learning' but rarely 'a person of great knowledge.' 'Scholarship' is narrower, pointing to systematic academic research and the depth of understanding it produces within a specific field. 'Erudition' is the most formal and least common in speech; it implies unusually broad and deep reading across multiple disciplines. For example, a doctor has medical knowledge, a historian may have deep learning in medieval Europe, a published researcher shows scholarship in their speciality, and a classicist who reads Greek, Latin, Sanskrit, and Chinese could be described as having remarkable erudition.

learning ↗knowledge ↗scholarship ↗erudition

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • love of learning
  • attitude to learning
  • desire for learning
  • passion for learning

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The noun 'learning' comes from Old English 'leornung', meaning the act of studying or gaining knowledge. It is formed from the verb 'leornian' (to learn) plus the suffix '-ung' (which later became '-ing'), and is related to Old High German 'lernunga' and Gothic 'lais' (I know). The sense of 'learning' as accumulated knowledge or scholarship developed in Middle English and became well established by the 16th century.