studious (adj.)

mid-14c., "zealous, diligent, eager;" by late 14c. specifically as "eager to learn, devoted to learning, seeking knowledge from books;" from Latin studiosus "devoted to study, assiduous, zealous," from studium "eagerness, zeal" (see study).

By 1530s as "characterized by careful attention, with studied care."

Studious represents a fact in conduct : scholarly, a fact in taste or predilection, or a similar result : as, he was very studious, but not really of scholarly instincts, nor likely ever to produce a scholarly treatise. [Century Dictionary]

From late 14c. as a noun, "those who study or read diligently." Related: Studiously; studiousness. Studiosity is attested from mid-15c. as "application, diligence" but seems to be obsolete.

also from mid-14c.

Entries linking to studious

study (v.)

early 12c., studien, "to strive toward, devote oneself to, cultivate" (virtue, vice, wisdom, art, etc., sometimes translating Latin occupare), from Old French estudiier "to study, apply oneself, show zeal for; examine" (13c., Modern French étudier).

This is from Medieval Latin studiare, from Latin studium "study, application," originally "eagerness," from studere "to be diligent," which is reconstructed to be from PIE *(s)teu- (1) "to push, stick, knock, beat" (see steep (adj.)). The notion appears to be "pressing forward, thrusting toward," hence "striving after."

Martha swanc and becarcade to geforðigene þan Hælende and his þeowen þa lichamlice behefðen. Seo studdede emb þa uterlice þing. ["Homily for the Feast of the Virgin Mary," c. 1125]

It is attested from c. 1300 specifically as "apply oneself to the acquisition of learning, pursue a formal course of study," also "read (a book or writings) intently or meditatively." It is from mid-14c. as "reflect, muse, think, ponder."

The broad meaning "seek to learn particulars of by observation" is from c. 1600; that of "regard attentively" is from 1660s. Related: Studied; studying.

Trends of studious

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.

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wonk

"overly studious person," 1962, earlier "effeminate male" (1954), American English student slang....

philology

"fond of dialectic or argument," in Aristotle and Plutarch "fond of learning and literature," in Plotinus and Proclus "studious...

defiance

c. 1300, defiaunce, "a challenge to fight, invitation to combat," from Old French desfiance "challenge, declaration of war," from desfiant, present participle of desfier "to challenge, defy, provoke; renounce (a belief), repudiate (a vow, etc.)," from Vulgar Latin *disfidare "ren

malignant

1560s, in reference to diseases, "virulent, tending to produce death," from French malignant and directly from Late Latin malignantem (nominative malignans) "acting from malice," present participle of malignare "injure maliciously," from Latin malignus "wicked, bad-natured," from

curry

late 13c., "to rub down a horse," from Anglo-French curreier "to curry-comb a horse," from Old French correier "put in order, prepare, curry," from con-, intensive prefix (see com-), + reier "arrange," from a Germanic source (see ready). Related: Curried; currying. To curry favor

cybernetics

"theory or study of communication and control," coined 1948 by U.S. mathematician Norbert Wiener (1894-1964), with -ics + Latinized form of Greek kybernetes "steersman" (metaphorically "guide, governor"), from kybernan "to steer or pilot a ship, direct as a pilot," figuratively "

atavism

1833, in biology, "reversion by influence of heredity to ancestral characteristics, resemblance of a given organism to some remote ancestor, return to an early or original type," from French atavisme, attested by 1820s, said to have been coined by French botanist Antoine-Nicolas

sustain

late 13c., sustenen, transitive, "provide the necessities of life to;" by early 14c. as "give support to (an effort or cause); also in physical senses, "keep from falling or sinking, hold up or upright;" also "give assistance to; keep (a quarrel, etc.) going." It is from the stem

"all right, correct," 1839, only survivor of a slang fad in Boston and New York c. 1838-9 for abbreviations of common phrases with deliberate, jocular misspellings, such as K.G. for "no go," as if spelled know go; N.C. for enough said (" 'nuff ced"); K.Y. for no use ("know yuse")

artificial

late 14c., "not natural or spontaneous," from Old French artificial, from Latin artificialis "of or belonging to art," from artificium "a work of art; skill; theory, system," from artifex (genitive artificis) "craftsman, artist, master of an art" (music, acting, sculpting, etc.),

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updated on September 11, 2023

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Dictionary entries near studious

stuck-up

stud

student

studied

studio

studious

studly

study

stuff

stuffed

stuffing