schoolman

9.9

A person in the Middle Ages who studied and taught philosophy at universities

noun
/ˈskuːlˌmæn/

Archaic

: escolar

Many schoolmen contributed to the development of European philosophy.

Examples

As a devoted schoolman, he spent years studying Aristotle's works.
Many schoolmen of the time debated the existence of God.
The influence of the schoolman was evident in medieval academic debates.
The renowned schoolman lectured on medieval philosophy.
As a devoted schoolman, he spent years studying Aristotle's works.
The renowned schoolman lectured on medieval philosophy.
Many schoolmen contributed to the development of European philosophy.

Synonyms

philosopher

vsschoolman

39 6.3

A calm thoughtful person who lives by reason

is an academic medieval figure who studied or taught medieval philosophy

scholar

vsschoolman

24 4.2

A person, often a child, who learns from a teacher

is restricted to medieval people who studied or taught medieval philosophy

Scholastic

vsschoolman

Formal

5 9.9

A university thinker in the Middle Ages who used reason to study religion

is the broader medieval scholar who studies or teaches those methods

bookman

vsschoolman

Archaic

2 9.9

A man who spends much time studying and knows a lot about literature

is instead a medieval academic focused on philosophical teaching

magister

vsschoolman

Formal

1 9.9

A teacher or expert who works at a university

is more specifically a medieval academic focused on teaching medieval philosophical tradition

Antonyms

amateur

122 2.8

A person who does an activity like a sport or hobby for pleasure, not as a job

layman

43 4.9

A person who is not an expert in a subject

How Scholarly

authority

292 4.2

scholar

281 4.1

schoolman

Archaic

9.9

teacher

97 2.9

student

∞ 1.0

layperson

14 4.9

Surface Forms

schoolman singular

schoolmen plural

Morphology

schoolman = school + man (opaque) = school + man

Although transparently formed from 'school' + 'man', the attested sense 'a medieval scholastic scholar' is specialized and not predictable from the components by an average learner.

Etymology

Schoolman is made of school and man, so it literally means a 'man of the school'. It was used for people who studied or taught in the Middle Ages, which is why it means a learned scholar or teacher today.