learn

[lurn]

verb (used with object)

learned, learnt, learning. 

1. to acquire knowledge of or skill in by study, instruction, or experience.

   to learn French;

   to learn to ski.

2. to become informed of or acquainted with; ascertain.

   to learn the truth.

3. to memorize.

   He learned the poem so he could recite it at the dinner.

4. to gain (a habit, mannerism, etc.) by experience, exposure to example, or the like; acquire.

   She learned patience from her father.

5. (of a device or machine, especially a computer) to perform an analogue of human learning with artificial intelligence.

6. Nonstandard.,  to instruct in; teach.

verb (used without object)

learned, learnt, learning. 

1. to acquire knowledge or skill.

   to learn rapidly.

2. to become informed (usually followed byof ).

   to learn of an accident.

learn

/ lɜːn /

verb

1. (when tr, may take a clause as object) to gain knowledge of (something) or acquire skill in (some art or practice)

2. (tr) to commit to memory

3. (tr) to gain by experience, example, etc

4. (intr; often foll by of or about) to become informed; know

5. not_standard,  to teach

Other Word Forms

• learnable adjective
• mislearn verb
• outlearn verb (used with object)
• relearn verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of learn¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English lernen, Old English leornian “to learn, read, ponder” (cognate with German lernen ); akin to lesan “to glean” (cognate with German lesen “to read”). See lear

Word History and Origins

Origin of learn¹

Old English leornian; related to Old High German lirnen

Idioms and Phrases

• by heart, learn
• little knowledge (learning) is a dangerous thing
• live and learn

Example Sentences

That rage grew when she learned the sunscreen she had been using for years was unreliable and, according to some tests, offered next to no sun protection at all.

From BBC

“We started talking ‘Scarecrow,’ and as pure coincidence, he said, ‘Oh, I just learned the banjo and the dobro,’” Murdy says.

From Los Angeles Times

They sat around the campfire that night talking about the remarkable life of the man they had rescued and the lessons to be learned from his plight.

From Los Angeles Times

She told Guthrie that she learned of her husband’s diagnosis a few weeks before she ran the 26.2-mile route.

From Los Angeles Times

You can learn more about the Labour MPs who are in key positions in the government in the short biographies below of each member of the cabinet and the ministers who attend its meetings.

From BBC

Related Words

• determine 
• enroll 
• gain 
• get 
• grasp 
• master 
• pick up 
• read 
• receive 
• review 
• study 

When To Use

What are other ways to say learn?

To learn something is to acquire knowledge of it through study or experience. How does learn compare with discover, ascertain, and detect? Find out on Thesaurus.com.