scholarship

noun

schol·​ar·​ship ˈskä-lər-ˌship 

1

: a grant-in-aid to a student (as by a college or foundation)

2

: the character, qualities, activity, or attainments of a scholar : learning

3

: a fund of knowledge and learning

drawing on the scholarship of the ancients

Synonyms

• education
• erudition
• knowledge
• learnedness
• learning
• literacy

Choose the Right Synonym for scholarship

knowledge, learning, erudition, scholarship mean what is or can be known by an individual or by humankind.

knowledge applies to facts or ideas acquired by study, investigation, observation, or experience.

rich in the knowledge of human nature

learning applies to knowledge acquired especially through formal, often advanced, schooling.

a book that demonstrates vast learning

erudition strongly implies the acquiring of profound, recondite, or bookish learning.

an erudition unusual even in a scholar

scholarship implies the possession of learning characteristic of the advanced scholar in a specialized field of study or investigation.

a work of first-rate literary scholarship

Examples of scholarship in a Sentence

She got a scholarship to Yale University.

The organization is offering five $5,000 scholarships.

The essay is a work of serious scholarship.

The book is about his life and scholarship.

Recent Examples on the Web

Federal assistance to individuals will not be affected, according to the memo — so Social Security, Medicare, food stamps, student loans and scholarships will all be unaffected. —Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 28 Jan. 2025

Be sure to understand the stipulations of each before deciding whether or not a grant or scholarship is right for you and/or your family's situation. —Kimberly Zapata, Parents, 27 Jan. 2025

Here’s how to apply before the deadline: Who is eligible for college scholarships? —Hannah Poukish, Sacramento Bee, 27 Jan. 2025

In that environment, everyone is competing for scholarships and pro contracts. —Colin Millar, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1536, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing scholarship

• football scholarship
• full scholarship

Kids Definition

scholarship

noun

schol·​ar·​ship ˈskäl-ər-ˌship 

1

: money given (as by a college) to a student to help pay for further education

2

: the character, qualities, or achievements of a scholar