: the life, community, or world of teachers, schools, and education : academe
scientists in industry and academia
a career in academia

Examples of academia in a Sentence

She found the business world very different from academia.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Her worldwide museum experience had taught her the foibles of museums and academia, but her sense of humor and common sense settled some sticky situations while moving (the museum) as a center for socially transformative debates. — Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026 Researchers in academia and civil society should develop the measurement approach and instruments to distinguish AI chatbot use from other contributors to social isolation. — Ned Cooper, STAT, 26 Oct. 2026 The agency also interviewed stakeholders, including government entities (international, federal and state), industry members, academia and nonprofit organizations that have or could possibly play a role in advancing the textile circular economy. — Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026 Meanwhile, the same academia that once deemed Wikipedia dangerous is throwing open its doors to artificial intelligence. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for academia

Word History

Etymology

latinization of academy (with -ia suggesting a geographic entity), after its Latin etymon, Acadēmia

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of academia was in 1903

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Academia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/academia. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster