academic

An academic is a person who is involved in learning, especially at the college level, or who is very educated. (noun)

A professor of Latin is an example of an academic.

Academic describes something or someone that is considered to be scholarly. (adjective)

An example of academic is what a teacher would write on the report card of a student who gets all A's.

()

Academic describes a question that can't be definitely answered but that people like to think about and discuss anyway. (adjective)

An example of an academic question is whether God exists.

See academic in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

of colleges, universities, etc.; scholastic; scholarly
having to do with general or liberal rather than technical or vocational education
of or belonging to an academy of scholars, artists, etc.
following fixed rules or conventions; pedantic or formalistic: an academic style of painting
merely theoretical; having no direct practical application: an academic question

noun

a teacher or student at a college or university

See academic in American Heritage Dictionary 4

(ăkˌə-dĕmˈĭk)

adjective

Of, relating to, or characteristic of a school, especially one of higher learning.
a. Relating to studies that are liberal or classical rather than technical or vocational.
b. Relating to scholarly performance: a student's academic average.
Of or belonging to a scholarly organization.
Scholarly to the point of being unaware of the outside world. See Synonyms at pedantic.
Based on formal education.
Formalistic or conventional.
Theoretical or speculative without a practical purpose or intention. See Synonyms at theoretical.
Having no practical purpose or use.

noun