learn
To gain knowledge or skill through study or experience.
Word facts
Definition
To learn is to gain new knowledge, skill, or understanding through study, practice, or experience. Learning can happen in a classroom, by reading, by watching, or by doing something over and over until it becomes natural.
Usage: Learn + 'how to' means acquiring a skill (learn how to swim). Learn + 'about' means gaining knowledge (learn about history). Learn + 'that' means discovering a fact (I learned that the meeting was cancelled).
Example sentences
- 1
She practiced every day to learn the guitar, and within six months she was performing.
- 2
It takes time to learn a new language, but it gets easier with consistent practice.
- 3
He learned from his mistakes and handled the next challenge with much more confidence.
Word family
From Old English leornian ('to learn, to study'). Related to German lernen. The original sense was 'to follow a track' — suggesting learning as following a path through unknown territory.
Imagine you 'earn' something valuable — you LEARN it by earning it through effort. The word 'earn' is inside 'learn'.
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FAQ
Questions people ask
What is the past tense of learn?
Both learned and learnt are correct. Learned is standard in American English; learnt is more common in British English.
What does 'learn by heart' mean?
To learn something by heart means to memorize it completely so you can recall it without looking.
How many syllables does learn have?
Learn has one syllable.
What is the noun form of learn?
The noun form is learning. A learner is the person who learns.