scholarly
gb/skˈɑlɚli/ us/skˈɑlɚli/
C1
English
~ 5700
Senses
0 senses
adjective
formal
C1
property
1
relating to academic study or research
Connected with serious study and research at a high academic level, usually at a university.
Usage pattern:
a scholarly [article/book/journal/work]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'scholarly' to describe anything related to school, like 'scholarly classroom' or 'scholarly exam'. In modern English, 'scholarly' is usually used for advanced academic research or writing, not everyday school things. Use 'school' or 'academic' for general school-related topics.
Synonyms
academic (Very close in meaning, but can be broader, including anything related to education, while 'scholarly' emphasizes research quality and depth.)
|
research-based (Stresses that something is based on research evidence; less about style or tone than 'scholarly'.)
Antonyms
popular (Describes work written for a general audience rather than for experts or researchers, the opposite focus of 'scholarly'.)
Collocations
scholarly article
|scholarly journal
|scholarly research
|scholarly work
|scholarly publication
|scholarly community
Themes
education
|science
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The professor asked us to find at least three scholarly articles for our final paper.
- Most of her scholarly work focuses on climate policy in developing countries.
- That claim is not supported by any scholarly research.
- He edits a leading scholarly journal in the field of linguistics.
- Scholarly publications often require a strict peer-review process.
Learner examples
- I used a scholarly article from a medical journal in my report.
- This website is helpful, but it is not a scholarly source.
- She wants to publish her study in a scholarly journal.
- We read several scholarly books about world history.
- The teacher showed us how to search for scholarly research online.
unknown
formal
C1
property
2
having deep academic learning
Having a lot of knowledge from serious study, especially at a high academic level.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is scholarly
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'scholarly' with 'smart' or 'clever' in general conversation. 'Scholarly' suggests serious academic learning, not just general intelligence, so it usually describes people who study or teach at a high level.
Synonyms
erudite (A very formal word meaning deeply learned; often sounds more literary than 'scholarly'.)
|
learned (Very close in meaning; can sound slightly old-fashioned in everyday speech.)
Antonyms
uneducated (Lacking formal education or learning, the opposite of someone who is scholarly.)
Collocations
scholarly man
|scholarly woman
|scholarly approach
|scholarly tone
|highly scholarly
|quietly scholarly
Themes
education
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Despite his casual style, he is one of the most scholarly members of the department.
- Her lectures are clear, lively, and deeply scholarly.
- The book reflects a scholarly approach, but it is still easy for non-specialists to read.
- He has a quiet, scholarly air that his students find reassuring.
- They admired her scholarly dedication to understanding ancient languages.
Learner examples
- My uncle is very scholarly and reads history every night.
- She speaks in a calm, scholarly voice during class.
- He is not only friendly but also very scholarly.
- The old man in the library looked scholarly with many books around him.
- Her parents are both scholarly people who work at the university.
Grammar
Dictionary form
scholarly
IPA
GB/skˈɑlɚli/
US/skˈɑlɚli/
Syllables & stress
schol - arly (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (schol)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: scholarly
Word family
Core family
scholar
noun B2
scholarship
noun B1
Related words
school
noun A1
schooling
noun
Negative and opposite forms
unscholarly
adjective
Advanced or less common
scholastic
adjective
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.