academically
UK[ˌæk.əˈdem.ɪ.kəl.i]US[ˌæk.əˈdem.ɪ.kəl.i]
adv
In a way that relates to education and scholarship.
adv
In a way that is theoretical or hypothetical rather than practical.
Morpheme Breakdown
academic
ally
academic
relating to a school
ally
adverb suffix
Etymology
The word's journey begins with the Greek Akadēmos, a legendary Athenian hero. His grove, the Akadēmeia, became a public garden where Plato taught, lending its name to his school of philosophy. The adjective akadēmikos was formed to describe matters pertaining to this school, entering Latin as academicus. Over centuries, the meaning broadened from "related to Plato's school" to "related to higher learning" in general. The English adjective "academic" was formed from this root, and the adverbial suffix "-ally" (combining the adjectival "-al" with "-ly") was appended to create "academically," describing actions performed in a scholarly or theoretical manner.
Analysis
Structure: academic (relating to a school) + ally (adverb suffix)
- academic: From Latin academicus, from Greek akadēmikos, relating to the school of Plato, from Akadēmeia, the name of the gymnasium where Plato taught.
- ally: A suffix forming adverbs from adjectives, from Latin -ālis (adjectival suffix) via Old French -el + English -ly (adverbial suffix).
Examples
She performed very well academically, graduating at the top of her class.
The proposal was interesting academically, but it had little practical application.
Students are supported both socially and academically throughout their university years.