learner

learn·er
L1E1A1R1N1E1R1
UK, US/ˈlɜɹnəɹ/US[ˈlɝ.nɚ]UK/ˈlɜːnə/

noun

One who is learning; one receiving instruction.

“She’s still a learner, so she’s prone to making mistakes.”

Similar
scholarassimilatorstudentapprenticeprentice
Opposite
educatorpreceptorteachertutor
OriginEnglish learn ← Middle English lernen ← Old English leornian →
CommonScrabble 7
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounlearner (plural learners)

plural learners

  1. One who is learning; one receiving instruction.

    She’s still a learner, so she’s prone to making mistakes.

    1 more example

    Cambridge University Press has released a new series aimed at young learners with epilepsy.

  2. datedobsoleteA scholar.

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
educatorpreceptorteachertutor
Broader
person
Narrower
abecedarianapprenticecadetchelacrammerdiscipleeducateefresherfreshmanfroshgoliardhomeschoolerinternmenteemonitorpennalpostgraduatepupilresidentscholarschoolboyschoolchildschoolgirlschoolkidseminarianseminaristsophomorestudentstudierteacher's pettraineeundergraduateupperclassman

nounsomeone (especially a child) who learns (as from a teacher) or takes up knowledge or beliefs

Similar
scholarassimilatorstudent
Broader
actordoerworker

nounworks for an expert to learn a trade

Similar
apprenticeprentice
Broader
novicebeginnertyro
Also see
apprenticeassimilatorbeginnergreenhornnoviceprenticescholarstudenttenderfoot

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*leys-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*(le-)lóys-e
  3. Proto-Germanic*lizaną
  4. Proto-West Germanic*liʀnōn
  5. Old Englishleornian
  6. Middle Englishlernen
  7. Englishlearn
  8. Englishlearner

From learn + -er.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian уча́щ се
  • уча́щ се (učášt se)one that is learning
Catalan aprenent
  • aprenentone that is learning
Chinese Mandarin 學習者 /学习者
  • 學習者 /学习者 (xuéxízhě)one that is learning
Esperanto lernanto
  • lernantoone that is learning
Finnish harjoittelija
  • harjoittelijaone that is learning
French apprenant, apprenante
  • apprenantone that is learning
  • apprenanteone that is learning
German Lerner, Lernerin
  • Lernerone that is learning
  • Lernerinone that is learning
  • Lernenderone that is learning
  • Lernendeone that is learning
Hindi शिक्षार्थी
  • शिक्षार्थी (śikṣārthī)one that is learning
Japanese 学習者
  • 学習者 (gakushūsha)one that is learning
Korean 학습자
  • 학습자 (hakseupja)one that is learning
Latin discipulus
  • discipulusone that is learning
Māori ākonga
  • ākongaone that is learning
Portuguese aprendiz, aprendiza
  • aprendizone that is learning
  • aprendizaone that is learning
Romanian învățăcel
  • învățăcelone that is learning
Russian учени́к, учени́ца
  • учени́к (učeník)one that is learning
  • учени́ца (učeníca)one that is learning
  • уча́щийся (učáščijsja)one that is learning
  • уча́щаяся (učáščajasja)one that is learning
  • изуча́ющий (izučájuščij)one that is learning
  • изуча́ющая (izučájuščaja)one that is learning
Spanish aprendiz, aprendedor
  • aprendizone that is learning
  • aprendedorone that is learning
  • aprendienteone that is learning
Welsh dysgwr, dysgwyr
  • dysgwrone that is learning
  • dysgwyrone that is learning

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with learner

turnerburnerearnersojournerBerner
All rhymes →

Anagrams

relearn
Cite this entry
APA

learner. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/learner

MLA

“learner.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/learner. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “learner,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/learner.

Source: learner on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.