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Added 1 October 2026

learn

/lɜːn/ verb

In Latin: discō, sciscō, resciscō Wiktionary

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about learn at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

To acquire, or attempt to acquire knowledge or an ability to do something.
It's time Dad learned (how) to change the oil in the car.
To attend a course or other educational activity.
To gain knowledge from a bad experience so as to improve.
learn from one's mistakes

noun

The act of learning something.

Origin

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.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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