Etimology
From Middle English lernen, from Old English leornian, from Proto-West Germanic *liʀnōn, from Proto-Germanic *lizaną, from Proto-Indo-European *(le-)lóys-e, stative from the root *leys- (“track, furrow, trace, trail”). Cognate with German lernen (“to learn”). See also lore.
verb
learn (third-person singular simple present learns, present participle learning, simple past and past participle learned or learnt)
To acquire, or attempt to acquire knowledge or an ability to do something.
To attend a course or other educational activity.
To gain knowledge from a bad experience so as to improve.
To study.
To come to know; to become informed of; to find out.
Examples
Every day I learn more about this great city. Audio
Audio
For, as he took delight to introduce me, I took delight to learn.
learn from one's mistakes
I learn medicine.
They learn psychology.
He just learned that he will be sacked.
Related words
synonyms
study
antonyms
forget
teach
noun
learn (plural learns)
The act of learning something
Examples
I did a quick learn of the place by watching the people shuffle in. There was a healthy mix of beautiful and freaky people, who shared a few common denominators […]
Etimology
Possibly related to Middle English leren, from Old English lǣran (“to teach, instruct, indoctrinate”), from Proto-West Germanic *laiʀijan, from Proto-Germanic *laizijaną (“to teach”), from *laizō (“lore, teaching", literally, "track, trace”), from Proto-Indo-European *leys- (“to track, furrow”). Cognate with Scots lere, leir, Saterland Frisian leere, West Frisian leare, Dutch leren, German lehren, Danish lære, Swedish lära. See also lear, lore. But normally the Middle English word would give lere, not learn.
verb
learn (third-person singular simple present learns, present participle learning, simple past and past participle learned or learnt)
(now only in non-standard speech and dialects) To teach.
Examples
Give him a clip round the ear. That'll learn him!
And whan she had serched hym she fond in the bottome of his wound that therin was poyson And soo she heled hym […] and therfore Tramtrist cast grete loue to la beale Isoud for she was at that tyme the fairest mayde and lady of the worlde And there Tramtryst lerned her to harpe and she beganne to haue grete fantasye vnto hym
Sweet prince, you learn me noble thankfulness.
Have I not been Thy pupil long? Hast thou not learn'd me how To make perfumes?
[…] Take heed of filling their [i.e., children's] heads with VVhimzies, and unprofitable Notions; for this vvill ſooner learn them to be malepert and proud, than ſober and humble.
That'll learn him to bust my tomater.
Related words
related terms
larn
lore