learning

/ˈlʌrnɪŋ/
/ˈlʌnɪŋ/
IPA guide

Other forms: learnings

The noun learning can describe that thing that happens when you study for your calculus class and you suddenly understand functions. Learning refers to gaining skills or knowledge, often by studying or being taught by someone.

The word learning can be used to mean "the process of acquiring knowledge," like the learning that takes place in your classroom, but it also means the knowledge itself. For example, you’ve probably acquired your worm learning through hours and hours of backyard digging. If you continue to work hard, someone might describe you as a person of great learning, with respect to snails, at least.

Definitions of learning
  1. noun
    the cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge
    synonyms: acquisition
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    types:
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    conditioning
    a learning process in which an organism's behavior becomes dependent on the occurrence of a stimulus in its environment
    developmental learning
    learning that takes place as a normal part of cognitive development
    digestion
    learning and coming to understand ideas and information
    education
    the gradual process of acquiring knowledge
    incorporation, internalisation, internalization
    learning (of values or attitudes etc.) that is incorporated within yourself
    imprinting
    a learning process in early life whereby species specific patterns of behavior are established
    language learning
    learning to use a language
    committal to memory, memorisation, memorization
    learning so as to be able to remember verbatim
    study, work
    applying the mind to learning and understanding a subject (especially by reading)
    carry-over, transfer, transfer of training
    application of a skill learned in one situation to a different but similar situation
    introjection
    (psychology) unconscious internalization of aspects of the world (especially aspects of persons) within the self in such a way that the internalized representation takes over the psychological functions of the external objects
    introjection
    (psychoanalysis) the internalization of the parent figures and their values; leads to the formation of the superego
    audio lingual acquisition
    system of language acquisition focusing intensively on listening and speaking
    rote, rote learning
    memorization by repetition
    accommodation
    in the theories of Jean Piaget: the modification of internal representations in order to accommodate a changing knowledge of reality
    assimilation
    in the theories of Jean Piaget: the application of a general schema to a particular instance
    generalisation, generalization, stimulus generalisation, stimulus generalization
    (psychology) transfer of a response learned to one stimulus to a similar stimulus
    acculturation, assimilation
    the process of assimilating new ideas into an existing cognitive structure
    mastering
    becoming proficient in the use of something; having mastery of
    self-cultivation, self-education
    the process of educating yourself
    school, schooling
    the process of being formally educated at a school
    special education
    education of physically or mentally handicapped children whose needs cannot be met in an ordinary classroom
    vocational education, vocational training
    training for a specific vocation in industry or agriculture or trade
    experimental extinction, extinction
    a conditioning process in which the reinforcer is removed and a conditioned response becomes independent of the conditioned stimulus
    aversive conditioning
    conditioning to avoid an aversive stimulus
    classical conditioning
    conditioning that pairs a neutral stimulus with a stimulus that evokes a reflex; the stimulus that evokes the reflex is given whether or not the conditioned response occurs until eventually the neutral stimulus comes to evoke the reflex
    operant conditioning
    conditioning in which an operant response is brought under stimulus control by virtue of presenting reinforcement contingent upon the occurrence of the operant response
    counter conditioning
    conditioning in which a second incompatible response is conditioned to an already conditioned stimulus
    type of:
    basic cognitive process
    cognitive processes involved in obtaining and storing knowledge
  2. noun
    profound scholarly knowledge
    synonyms: encyclopaedism, encyclopedism, eruditeness, erudition, learnedness, scholarship
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    types:
    letters
    scholarly attainment
    type of:
    education
    knowledge acquired by learning and instruction
Pronunciation
US
/ˈlʌrnɪŋ/
UK
/ˈlʌnɪŋ/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘learning'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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