Meanings
learn1
present singular third person learns · participle present learning · participle past learned · past learned · participle past learnt · past learnt · first person past singular learned · archaic present second person singular learnest · past second person singular learned · archaic past second person singular learnedst · present singular third person learns · archaic present singular third person learneth · past singular third person learned · past plural learned · past subjunctive learned · participle present learning
- To acquire, or attempt to acquire knowledge or an ability to do something.
Toddlers learn to walk at around one year old.
5 more examples
It's time Dad learned (how) to change the oil in the car.
In my latest job, I've learnt to keep my mouth shut more than in the last one.
a school in which he learns sly circumvention
1782–1785, William Cowper, “(please specify the page)”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson; […], →OCLCI was very impressed with the obvious amount of work that went into the learning and synchronization of such a complex and harmonically and difficult score.
1987 April 18, Tom Grabosky, “Gay Men's Voices Rise Up Singin'”, in Gay Community News, page 7I have learned far more from them about how to be a scientist than they realize. Above all else, they taught me the virtues of proper waterfowl alignment.
1988, Mark Andre Peter Loranc, “Acknowledgements”, in A Study of the Ionospheric Signature of Ion Supply from the Ionosphere to the Magnetosphere (PhD dissertation), University of Texas at Dallas, page iv - To attend a course or other educational activity.
For, as he took delight to introduce me, I took delight to learn.
1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC - To gain knowledge from a bad experience so as to improve.
learn from one's mistakes
- now only in non-standard speech and dialectsTo teach.
Give him a clip round the ear. That'll learn him!
5 more examples
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
1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter IX, in Le Morte Darthur, book VIIISweete Prince, you learne me noble thankfulnes: […]
1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, Much Adoe about Nothing. […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], signature F3, versoHaue I not bene Thy Pupill long? Haſt thou not learn'd me how To make Perfumes?
1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene v], page 373, column 1[…] 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.
1663 April 27 (Gregorian calendar), John Bunyan, “Touching Parents”, in Christian Behaviour; or The Fruits of True Christianity. […], London: […] F. Smith, […], →OCLC, page 56But we’ll play Robin Hood—it’s noble fun. I’ll learn you.
1876, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], chapter XXVI, in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Hartford, Conn.: The American Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 200
plural learns · alternative Northumbria larn · alternative obsolete learne
- The act of learning something.
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[…]
2003, Gregory A. Raymer, The Woodie Chronicles: My Journey Through America on the road t recovery in a 1949 Woodie Wagon
Learn2
Synonyms & antonyms
verbget to know or become aware of, usually accidentally
verbfind out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
learn · verb, noun
- Proto-Indo-European*(le-)lóys-e
- Proto-Germanic*lizaną
- Proto-West Germanic*liʀnōn
- Old Englishleornian“to learn", rarely also, "to teach”
- Middle Englishlernen“to learn", also, "to teach"”
- Englishlearn
From Middle English lernen (“to learn", also, "to teach"”), from Old English leornian (“to learn", rarely also, "to teach”), 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”). The spelling with ⟨ea⟩ is of Early Modern English origin and reflects a lengthening of /ɛ~e/ to /eː/ before /rn/ in Late Old English or Early Middle English, then later lowering to /ɛː/; the modern pronunciation reflects still later reshortening. The dialect form with /ɑː/ reflects the Middle English pronunciation which either retained the short /ɛ/ or reshortened it earlier, enabling the a development to /a/ before /r/ which yielded modern /ɑː/. Cognate with Old Frisian lernia, lerna (“to learn”), Middle Low German lernen (“to learn", also, "to teach”), Middle Dutch leernen (“to learn", also, "to teach”) (whence Dutch lernen (“to study scripture”)), German lernen (“to learn”). See also lore and lear.
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans leer
- leerto acquire knowledge or ability
Ancient Greek μανθάνω
- μανθάνω (manthánō)to acquire knowledge or ability
Arabic تَعَلَّمَ, تَعَلَّمَ
- تَعَلَّمَ (taʕallama)to acquire knowledge or ability
- تَعَلَّمَ (taʕallama)to attend educational activity
- اِعْتَبَرَ (iʕtabara)to make use of a bad experience
- اِتَّعَظَ (ittaʕaẓa)to make use of a bad experience
- اِتَّعَظَ (ittaʕaẓa)to gain knowledge from a bad experience so as to improve
- اِعْتَبَرَ (iʕtabara)to gain knowledge from a bad experience so as to improve
Basque ikasi, ikasi
- ikasito acquire knowledge or ability
- ikasito attend educational activity
- ikasito make use of a bad experience
- ikasito be studying
Bengali শেখা
- শেখা (śekha)to acquire knowledge or ability
Bulgarian у́ча се, уча
- у́ча се (úča se)to acquire knowledge or ability
- уча (uča)to attend educational activity
- уча се (uča se)to make use of a bad experience
- изучавам (izučavam)to be studying
- узнавам (uznavam)to come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Catalan aprendre, aprendre
- aprendreto acquire knowledge or ability
- aprendreto attend educational activity
- aprendreto make use of a bad experience
- aprendreto gain knowledge from a bad experience so as to improve
- estudiarto be studying
- aprendreto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Chinese Cantonese 學 /学, 學 /学
- 學 /学 (hok⁶ zaap⁶)to acquire knowledge or ability
- 學 /学 (hok⁶)to acquire knowledge or ability
Chinese Mandarin 學習 /学习, 學 /学
- 學習 /学习 (xuéxí)to acquire knowledge or ability
- 學 /学 (xué)to acquire knowledge or ability
- 學習 /学习 (xuéxí)to attend educational activity
- 學 /学 (xué)to attend educational activity
Czech učit se, učit se
- učit seto acquire knowledge or ability
- učit seto attend educational activity
- učit seto make use of a bad experience
- poučit seto make use of a bad experience
- učit seto gain knowledge from a bad experience so as to improve
- zlepšovat seto gain knowledge from a bad experience so as to improve
- zdokonalovat seto gain knowledge from a bad experience so as to improve
- učit seto be studying
- studovatto be studying
- zjistitto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
- dovědět seto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
- dozvědět seto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Danish lære, lære
- læreto acquire knowledge or ability
- læreto attend educational activity
- læreto make use of a bad experience
- læreto be studying
- studereto be studying
- læreto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
- erfareto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Dutch leren, leren
- lerento acquire knowledge or ability
- lerento be studying
- studerento be studying
- ervarento come to know; to become informed of; to find out
- vernemento come to know; to become informed of; to find out
- te weten komento come to know; to become informed of; to find out
- op de hoogte gesteld wordento come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Esperanto lerni, instruiĝi
- lernito acquire knowledge or ability
- instruiĝito acquire knowledge or ability
- instruiĝito make use of a bad experience
- studito be studying
- informiĝito come to know; to become informed of; to find out
- eksciito come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Estonian õppima, omandama
- õppimato acquire knowledge or ability
- omandamato acquire knowledge or ability
- õppimato attend educational activity
- õppimato make use of a bad experience
- arenemato gain knowledge from a bad experience so as to improve
- õppimato be studying
- õppimato come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Finnish oppia, opetella
- oppiato acquire knowledge or ability
- opetellato acquire knowledge or ability
- oppiato attend educational activity
- opiskellato attend educational activity
- oppiato make use of a bad experience
- oppiato gain knowledge from a bad experience so as to improve
- opiskellato be studying
- opetellato be studying
- saada tietääto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
- saada selvilleto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
French apprendre, étudier
- apprendreto acquire knowledge or ability
- étudierto acquire knowledge or ability
- faire des étudesto attend educational activity
- étudierto attend educational activity
- apprendreto make use of a bad experience
- étudierto be studying
- apprendreto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
German lernen, studieren
- lernento acquire knowledge or ability
- studierento attend educational activity
- lernento attend educational activity
- erfahrento come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Greek μαθαίνω, μαθαίνω
- μαθαίνω (mathaíno)to acquire knowledge or ability
- μαθαίνω (mathaíno)to attend educational activity
- μαθαίνω (mathaíno)to make use of a bad experience
- μελετώ (meletó)to be studying
- σπουδάζω (spoudázo)to be studying
- μαθαίνω (mathaíno)to come to know; to become informed of; to find out
- πληροφορούμαι (pliroforoúmai)to come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Hawaiian aʻo
- aʻoto acquire knowledge or ability
Hebrew למד
- למד (lamád)to acquire knowledge or ability
Hindi सीखना
- सीखना (sīkhnā)to acquire knowledge or ability
Hungarian megtanul, elsajátít
- megtanulto acquire knowledge or ability
- elsajátítto acquire knowledge or ability
- tanulto attend educational activity
- tanulmányokat folytatto attend educational activity
- tanulto make use of a bad experience
- okulto make use of a bad experience
- tanulto be studying
- megtudto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
- értesülto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Icelandic læra, nema
- lærato acquire knowledge or ability
- nemato acquire knowledge or ability
Indonesian belajar, belajar
- belajarto acquire knowledge or ability
- belajarto attend educational activity
- belajarto be studying
Irish foghlaim
- foghlaimto acquire knowledge or ability
Italian imparare, apprendere
- imparareto acquire knowledge or ability
- apprendereto acquire knowledge or ability
- scoprireto acquire knowledge or ability
- imparareto attend educational activity
- apprendereto attend educational activity
- imparareto make use of a bad experience
- migliorareto gain knowledge from a bad experience so as to improve
- imparareto be studying
- studiareto be studying
- apprendereto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Japanese 習う, 学ぶ
- 習う (narau)to acquire knowledge or ability
- 学ぶ (manabu)to acquire knowledge or ability
- 勉強する (benkyō suru)to attend educational activity
- 勉強する (benkyō suru)to be studying
- 知る (shiru)to come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Korean 배우다
- 배우다 (bae'uda)to acquire knowledge or ability
Latin discō, sciscō
- discōto acquire knowledge or ability
- sciscōto acquire knowledge or ability
- resciscōto acquire knowledge or ability
- reperiōto acquire knowledge or ability
- inaudiōto acquire knowledge or ability
- discoto attend educational activity
- discoto make use of a bad experience
- discoto gain knowledge from a bad experience so as to improve
- studeoto be studying
- discoto be studying
- discoto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
- sciscoto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Latvian mācīties
- mācītiesto acquire knowledge or ability
Lithuanian išmokti, mokytis
- išmoktito acquire knowledge or ability
- mokytisto acquire knowledge or ability
Malay belajar
- belajarto acquire knowledge or ability
Māori ako, ako
- akoto acquire knowledge or ability
- akoto be studying
Norwegian lære
- læreto acquire knowledge or ability
Persian یاد گرفتن, آموختن
- یاد گرفتن (yâd gereftan)to acquire knowledge or ability
- آموختن (âmuxtan)to acquire knowledge or ability
Polish uczyć się, nauczyć się
- uczyć sięto acquire knowledge or ability
- nauczyć sięto acquire knowledge or ability
- uczyć sięto be studying
Portuguese aprender, estudar
- aprenderto acquire knowledge or ability
- estudarto attend educational activity
- aprenderto make use of a bad experience
- aprenderto gain knowledge from a bad experience so as to improve
- aprenderto be studying
- estudarto be studying
- descobrir queto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
- ficar sabendoto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Romanian învăța, învăța
- învățato acquire knowledge or ability
- învățato make use of a bad experience
- învățato be studying
- studiuto be studying
- aflato come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Russian учи́ться, учи́ть
- учи́ться (učítʹsja)to acquire knowledge or ability
- учи́ть (učítʹ)to acquire knowledge or ability
- учи́ться (učítʹsja)to attend educational activity
- изуча́ть (izučátʹ)to be studying
- узна́ть (uznátʹ)to come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Scottish Gaelic ionnsaich, ionnsaich
- ionnsaichto acquire knowledge or ability
- ionnsaichto attend educational activity
- ionnsaichto make use of a bad experience
- ionnsaichto gain knowledge from a bad experience so as to improve
- ionnsaichto be studying
- faigh a-machto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Slovak učiť sa, učiť sa
- učiť sato acquire knowledge or ability
- učiť sato gain knowledge from a bad experience so as to improve
- dozvedieť sato come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Spanish aprender, escarmentar
- aprenderto acquire knowledge or ability
- escarmentarto acquire knowledge or ability
- aprenderto attend educational activity
- aprenderto make use of a bad experience
- aprenderto gain knowledge from a bad experience so as to improve
- estudiarto be studying
- aprenderto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
- enterarseto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Swahili -jifunza, kupata habari
- -jifunzato acquire knowledge or ability
- kupata habarito come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Swedish lära sig, få reda på
- lära sigto acquire knowledge or ability
- få reda påto come to know; to become informed of; to find out
Tamil கல்
- கல் (kal)to acquire knowledge or ability
Thai เรียน, ศึกษา
- เรียน (riian)to acquire knowledge or ability
- ศึกษา (sʉ̀k-sǎa)to acquire knowledge or ability
- เรียนรู้ (riian-rúu)to acquire knowledge or ability
Turkish öğrenmek
- öğrenmekto acquire knowledge or ability
Ukrainian вчи́тися, навчи́тися
- вчи́тися (včýtysja)to acquire knowledge or ability
- навчи́тися (navčýtysja)to acquire knowledge or ability
- навча́тися (navčátysja)to acquire knowledge or ability
- вивча́ти (vyvčáty)to acquire knowledge or ability
- вчи́тися (včýtysja)to attend educational activity
- навча́тися (navčátysja)to attend educational activity
- вчи́ти (včýty)to attend educational activity
- вивча́ти (vyvčáty)to attend educational activity
Urdu سیکھنا
- سیکھنا (sīkhnā)to acquire knowledge or ability
Vietnamese học, tập
- họcto acquire knowledge or ability
- tậpto acquire knowledge or ability
- học tậpto acquire knowledge or ability
Welsh dysgu
- dysguto acquire knowledge or ability
Yiddish לערנען זיך
- לערנען זיך (lernen zikh)to acquire knowledge or ability
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with learn
Anagrams
Cite this entry
learn. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/learn
“learn.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/learn. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “learn,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/learn.
Source: learn on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.