I. skəˈlastik -laas-, -tēk also skōˈl- or skäˈl- adjective
Etymology: in sense 1, from Medieval Latin scholasticus, from Latin, of a school, from Greek scholastikos enjoying leisure, devoting one's leisure to learning, academic, from (assumed) Greek scholastos (verbal of Greek scholazein to have leisure, give lectures, keep a school, from scholē leisure, lecture, school) + Greek -ikos -ic; in other senses, from Latin scholasticus — more at school
1.
a. often capitalized : of or relating to the Schoolmen of the medieval period
scholastic theology
scholastic philosophy
b.
(1) : characterized by or suggestive of the logic or methods of the medieval Schoolmen
(2) : characterized by excessive subtlety : pedantic , formal
2. obsolete : academically trained : book-learned
3.
a. : of, relating to, or associated with a school
scholastic standards
during the scholastic holidays
a sense that scholastic teaching is not divorced from the practical world — Bertrand Russell
b. : having the characteristics of, belonging to, or befitting a scholar : scholarly
a thorough and scholastic piece of work
c. : designed for scholars
an honorary scholastic fraternity
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Medieval Latin scholasticus, from scholasticus, adjective
1.
a. usually capitalized : a Christian philosopher of the medieval period : schoolman
b.
(1) : one who deals with philosophical or theological problems in the spirit of Scholasticism
(2) : pedant , formalist
2.
[ scholastic (I) ]
obsolete : scholar , student
3.
[New Latin scholasticus, from Latin scholasticus, adjective]
: a student in a scholasticate
4.
[ scholastic (I) ]
: one who advocates or practices scholastic or traditional methods in art
5. scholastics plural : scholastic practices or methods : scholastic philosophy or theology ; broadly : pedantry
dry and lifeless scholastics — P.A.Sorokin