learn

UK: lɜːn | US: lɜːrn

Definition
  1. vt. to gain knowledge or skill through study, experience, or teaching

  2. vi. to acquire knowledge or skill over time

  3. vt. to memorize something (e.g., a poem or fact)

Structure

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Etymology

The word "learn" traces back to Old English leornian, meaning "to acquire knowledge or skill." It shares roots with Germanic languages (e.g., Old High German lernēn) and is linked to the Proto-Indo-European base leis-, meaning "track" or "furrow," metaphorically suggesting the "tracking" of knowledge. Over time, its meaning narrowed to focus on deliberate study or instruction, distinguishing it from "teach" (which originally shared the same root).

Examples
  1. Children learn quickly through play.

  2. She learned to speak French in six months.

  3. He learned the poem by heart.

  4. We learn from our mistakes.

  5. The robot learns to adapt to new environments.