Academic vs. Academia: What's the Difference?
By Janet White & Aimie Carlson || Updated on May 23, 2024
Academic refers to anything related to education or scholarship, often describing a person or environment. Academia, on the other hand, denotes the broader community or world of scholars, educators, and researchers.
Key Differences
Academic pertains to activities, subjects, or people associated with formal education and scholarship. It often describes a person, such as an academician or a professor, or activities like academic research and studies. Academia represents the entire realm of education and research institutions, including universities and research bodies. It embodies the collective community of scholars, educators, and researchers working within these institutions.
Academic achievement refers to a student's performance in their educational endeavors, often measured by grades and honors. Academia, in contrast, focuses on the collective advancements and contributions made by the scholarly community, such as groundbreaking research and theoretical developments.
Academic work involves specific scholarly tasks like teaching, writing, and research conducted by individuals in educational settings. Academia encompasses these activities but looks at them from a broader perspective, including the collaboration and network among various institutions and scholars.
Academic can also refer to theoretical knowledge as opposed to practical skills, emphasizing abstract thinking and learning. Academia, however, includes the infrastructure and environment where both theoretical and practical knowledge are developed and exchanged.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Related to education or scholarship
Community of scholars and educational institutions
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Usage
Often an adjective or noun
Primarily a noun
Scope
Individual or specific activities
Collective environment and culture
Example
Academic research
Academia fosters research collaboration
Connotation
Can describe a person or task
Describes the broader educational community
Academic and Academia Definitions
Academic
Theoretical or not practical.
The debate was purely academic with no real-world application.
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Academia
The world of education and research institutions.
Academia plays a crucial role in scientific advancements.
Academic
Pertaining to formal studies.
He has an academic interest in linguistics.
Academia
The environment and culture of scholarly activity.
Academia fosters a culture of intellectual exploration.
Academic
Related to education or scholarship.
The professor presented an academic paper at the conference.
Academia
The field or domain of academic work and research.
Funding cuts are affecting academia worldwide.
Academic
Pertaining to an educational institution.
The academic calendar outlines the school's schedule.
Academia
The collective community of scholars and researchers.
She has spent her entire career in academia.
Academic
Of or relating to institutionalized education and scholarship, especially at a college or university.
Academia
Institutions of higher learning collectively.
Policies in academia often influence educational standards.
Academic
Of or relating to studies that rely on reading and involve abstract thought rather than being primarily practical or technical.
Academia
The academic community; academe.
Academic
Relating to scholarly performance
A student's academic average.
Academia
(collective) The scientific and cultural community engaged in higher education and research, taken as a whole.
Academia continues to provide scientific education, despite attempts to turn it into a system of professional schooling.
Academic
Academic Of or relating to the conservative style of art promoted by an official academy, especially the Académie des Beaux Arts in France in the nineteenth century.
Academia
Continuous study at higher education institutions; scholarship.
Not every university graduate wishes to pursue academia.
Academic
Having little practical use or value, as by being overly detailed, unengaging, or theoretical
Dismissed the article as a dry, academic exercise.
Academia
The academic world
Academic
Having no important consequence or relevancy
The debate about who is to blame has become academic because the business has left town.
Academic
A faculty member or scholar at an institution of higher learning, such as a university.
Academic
One who has an academic viewpoint or a scholarly background.
Academic
Belonging to the school or philosophy of Plato
The academic sect or philosophy
Academic
Belonging to an academy or other higher institution of learning, or a scholarly society or organization.
Academic
In particular: relating to literary, classical, or artistic studies like the humanities, rather than to technical or vocational studies like engineering or welding.
Academic
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; an academic question
Academic
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.
Academic
(art) Conforming to set rules and traditions; conventional; formalistic.
Academic
Subscribing to the architectural standards of Vitruvius.
Academic
So scholarly as to be unaware of the outside world; lacking in worldliness; inexperienced in practical matters.
Academic
A follower of Plato, a Platonist.
Academic
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.
Academic
A member of the Academy; an academician.
Academic
(archaic) A student in a college.
Academic
(pluralonly) Academic dress; academicals.
Academic
(pluralonly) Academic studies.
Academic
Belonging to the school or philosophy of Plato; as, the Academic sect or philosophy.
Academic
Belonging to an academy or other higher institution of learning; scholarly; literary or classical, in distinction from scientific.
Academic
One holding the philosophy of Socrates and Plato; a Platonist.
Academic
A member of an academy, college, or university; an academician.
Academic
An educator who works at a college or university
Academic
Associated with academia or an academy;
The academic curriculum
Academic gowns
Academic
Hypothetical or theoretical and not expected to produce an immediate or practical result;
An academic discussion
An academic question
Academic
Marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects
Academic
A scholar or teacher at an institute of higher learning.
She is an academic specializing in medieval history.
FAQs
What is an academic paper?
A scholarly article written by researchers.
What is 'academia'?
Academia is the collective world of educational and research institutions.
Can 'academic' describe a person?
Yes, an academic can refer to a scholar or teacher.
Is 'academia' a noun or adjective?
Academia is a noun.
Is 'academia' used to describe individuals?
No, academia refers to the broader community and institutions.
What kind of tasks are academic?
Teaching, research, and scholarly writing.
What is academic achievement?
A measure of a student's performance in education.
What does 'academic' refer to?
Academic relates to education, scholarship, or scholarly activities.
How is academic performance measured?
Through grades and honors in educational settings.
What encompasses academia?
Academia includes universities, research bodies, and the scholarly community.
Does 'academic' have a practical application?
Often, it is theoretical, focusing on abstract concepts.
What does academia foster?
Collaboration and intellectual exploration among scholars.
How are policies in academia influential?
They shape educational standards and research priorities.
How does academia contribute to society?
Through research advancements and educational development.
What is the culture of academia like?
It promotes intellectual growth and scholarly collaboration.
What is the difference between academic and practical knowledge?
Academic is theoretical, while practical is applied.
Is 'academic' always related to schools?
Mostly, but it can also mean theoretical.
Can 'academic' be used as an adjective?
Yes, it often describes scholarly activities or environments.
What fields does academia cover?
All areas of higher education and research.
What is the role of an academician in academia?
To conduct research, teach, and contribute to scholarly activities.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Co-written by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
