erudition

First attested in the 15th Century. From Middle French érudition, from Latin eruditio (“an instructing, learning, erudition”), from erudire (“to instruct, educate, cultivate”, literally “free from rudeness”), from e (“out”) + rudis (“rude”).

• IPA^(key): /ˌɛɹʊˈdɪʃən/

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erudition (countable and uncountable, plural eruditions)

1. Profound knowledge acquired from learning and scholarship.
2. The refinement, polish and knowledge that education confers.

• (profound knowledge): knowledge, information, learning, lore, scholarship, scholarism

• erudite
• rude

• “erudition”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “erudition”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “erudition”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.