academicadj/ˌæk.əˈdɛm.ɪk/

• 1

  Belonging to the school or philosophy of Plato.

  • the academic sect or philosophy
• 2

  Belonging to an academy or other higher institution of learning, or a scholarly society or organization.

  • But unhappily, by too short a view of things, you have been apt to mistake the completion of your academic courses for the completion of your theologic studies: and then, by a false modesty, have despaired of knowing more than you would suffer those august places of your education to teach you.
  • It was left to the motor industry, half a century later, to destroy Oxford's academic calm.
• 3

  In particular: relating to literary, classical, or artistic studies like the humanities, rather than to technical or vocational studies like engineering or welding.

  • Programs of work should provide students the opportunities to demonstrate both academic and vocational competence attainment.
  • Evidence for cannibalism abounds - even if circumstantial - both from the modern world and throughout history, but academic anthropology has found itself in a funk of denial.
• 4

  Having little practical use or value, as by being overly detailed and unengaging, or by being theoretical and speculative with no practical importance.

  • I have always had an academic interest in hacking.
  • the distinction is academic
• 5

  Having a love of or aptitude for learning.

  • I’m more academic than athletic — I get lower marks in phys. ed. than in anything else.
• 6

  artartsConforming to set rules and traditions; conventional; formalistic.

• 7

  artartsConforming to set rules and traditions; conventional; formalistic.

• 8

  So scholarly as to be unaware of the outside world; lacking in worldliness; inexperienced in practical matters.

academicnoun/ˌæk.əˈdɛm.ɪk/

• 1

  A follower of Plato, a Platonist.

• 2

  A senior member of an academy, college, or university; a person who attends an academy; a person engaged in scholarly pursuits; one who is academic in practice.

  • Academics[…]see integrated systems for collecting, processing and acting on data as offering a “second electrification” to the world’s metropolises.
• 3

  A member of the Academy; an academician.

  • Carneades the academick, when he was to write against Zeno the stoick, purged himself with hellebor first […].
• 4

  archaicA student in a college.

• 5

  Academic dress; academicals.

• 6

  Academic studies.

  • Many spoke of an intense fear of failing one’s academics at university, which can both be highly motivating to secure academic success (sometimes at the cost of socialising), but can also immobilise one’s desire to try harder as it can be rather disappointing if one does not succeed. […] Many autistic students commonly reported viewing academics to be the most important aspect of university life and had a strong sense of persistence and self-determination to succeed. […] However, while some autistic students viewed socialising to be a source of threat that could jeopardise their academic success if indulged in, others highlighted the importance of social connections at university beyond that of academics.