study
study — noun
- studysingular
- studiesplural
1. a piece of work that investigates a specific topic in depth, done to discover an
a piece of work that investigates a specific topic in depth, done to discover and share new findings about it
A recent medical study shows that walking for thirty minutes each day improves heart health.
collocation: recent study / medical study
The university study on ocean pollution was published in a well-known science journal.
pattern: study on [topic]
According to this study, children who read at home tend to perform better in school.
Otis spent three years working on a study about how birds find their way over long distances.
pattern: a study about [topic]
The study examined the effects of traffic noise on people's ability to fall asleep at night.
- conduct a study
- publish a study
- a recent study
- a scientific study
- research
uncountable and broader; 'study' often refers to one specific project
- investigation
more formal; often used in legal or criminal contexts
- analysis
focuses on breaking data into parts rather than collecting new data
Grammar Patterns
a study of [topic]
a study on [topic]
Usage Note
Often used with adjectives that describe the type of research: 'scientific study', 'clinical study', 'detailed study'. Commonly followed by 'of', 'on', or 'about' to indicate the topic.
Common Mistakes
2. a drawing or quick painting created by an artist as a test or practice piece bef
a drawing or quick painting created by an artist as a test or practice piece before making the final finished work
Rania made a charcoal study of a woman's hands before she started the portrait.
pattern: a [medium] study of [subject]
The gallery display includes a study for the famous painting of the royal family.
pattern: a study for [final artwork]
Nora's pencil study of an old oak tree captured every detail of the bark and leaves.
Antonia used her study of light and shadow to plan the final watercolour scene.
domain-specific: study of light and shadow
Quinn drew the ballerina's feet twenty times from different angles as a study for her dance series.
pattern: a study for [artwork or series]
- a charcoal study
- a pencil study
- a study for a painting
- a study of hands
- sketch
implies a quicker, less detailed drawing
- preliminary drawing
more technical; stresses that it comes before the final piece
Grammar Patterns
a study of [subject]
a study for [artwork]
Usage Note
Distinguish from 'sketch' — a study is more deliberate and focused on solving a specific artistic problem (lighting, composition, anatomy), while a sketch is quicker and more informal.
Common Mistakes
3. the process of acquiring knowledge by reading, attending lessons, or carrying ou
the process of acquiring knowledge by reading, attending lessons, or carrying out research — viewed as an ongoing activity rather than a single task
Mateo's study of ancient Greek took three years of evening classes before he could read the original texts.
pattern: the study of [academic subject]
Kabir's studies at medical school take up most of his time each week.
plural form: studies at [institution]
Min enjoys the study of nature and spends every weekend in the forest near her home.
After years of study, Andrew finally received his degree in civil engineering.
uncountable: years of study
The study of computer programming has become very popular among young people in Taiwan.
- the study of
- continue one's studies
- years of study
- field of study
Grammar Patterns
the study of [subject]
[possessive] studies
Usage Note
Usually uncountable when referring to the general activity. The plural 'studies' is used when referring to a specific person's learning activities or a programme of learning.
4. the sustained time and focused mental effort that someone spends on learning, es
the sustained time and focused mental effort that someone spends on learning, especially when preparing for a specific test or working towards a particular goal
After twelve hours of study for her law school entrance exam, Yan fell asleep at her desk before dinner.
uncountable: [number] hours of study for [exam]
Bao put in three hours of study before the final mathematics exam.
pattern: [number] hours of study
Weeks of study at the medical library helped Dr. Hassan pass the specialist exam on his first try.
uncountable: weeks of study for [exam]
Eshe set aside two hours for study every evening after dinner.
collocation: set aside time for study
His study of Japanese grammar every morning helped him speak more fluently within six months.
- hours of study
- a period of study
- put in study
- require study
- revision
British English; specifically reviewing material already learned
- preparation
broader; can include non-academic tasks like gathering materials
Grammar Patterns
[amount] of study
study of [topic]
Usage Note
Uncountable. Unlike sense 3 (ACADEMIC LEARNING), this sense emphasises the effort and time spent rather than the activity as a whole. Frequently appears in phrases like 'hours of study' or 'a period of study'.
Common Mistakes
5. used as part of the title of an academic subject or course at a school, college,
used as part of the title of an academic subject or course at a school, college, or university
Sivan chose to study media studies at the University of Cape Town.
compound name: media studies
The school offers popular courses in business studies and communication.
Joaquín is taking a class in American studies this semester at college.
compound name: American studies
Paul thinks that gender studies should be offered to all university students.
Ziad chose environmental studies at the University of Nairobi because he wanted to work on climate policy.
compound name: environmental studies
- business studies
- media studies
- gender studies
- environmental studies
- subject
simpler and more general; doesn't carry the '-studies' compound form
- discipline
more formal; refers to a branch of knowledge
Grammar Patterns
[modifier] studies
Usage Note
Always appears as part of a compound noun. The form is plural (e.g. 'business studies', 'media studies'). In academic contexts the first letter is often capitalised when used in official course names.
Common Mistakes
6. a room in a house or apartment that is used for reading, writing, or working qui
a room in a house or apartment that is used for reading, writing, or working quietly
Otis keeps his collection of poetry on the shelf in his study.
possessive: his study
The study has large windows and a fireplace where Christopher reads on Sunday mornings.
activity: reading in the study
Rania decorated her study with maps and a large wooden desk.
Kabir closed the study door so he could read his book without any noise from the living room.
location: in/from the study
The study was the quietest room in the house, with bookshelves covering three walls.
- in one's study
- the study door
- a study with bookshelves
- a quiet study
- home office
more modern; emphasises working rather than reading
- den
more informal and casual; common in American English
Grammar Patterns
[possessive] study
in the study
Usage Note
More common in British English than American English, where 'den' or 'home office' are often used instead. Refers specifically to a room — distinct from the activity senses (1, 3, 4).
Common Mistakes
in a brown study
idiomBeing so lost in thought that you ignore your surroundings.
Mina sat in a brown study, ignoring her ringing phone.
Was Diego in a brown study when he walked past his stop?
study — verb
- studypresent simple I / you / we / they
- studies3rd person singular
- studying-ing form
- studiedpast simple
1. to spend time reading books, going to classes, or doing research in order to gai
to spend time reading books, going to classes, or doing research in order to gain knowledge about a particular subject
Nora studies biology at the University of São Paulo.
transitive: study + [subject]
Min studies French every morning before going to work at the hospital.
Andrew is studying to become a nurse at a local community college.
pattern: study to become + [profession]
Antonia studied the user guide carefully before turning on the new video camera.
Paul studied hard for the biology test and got the highest score in his class.
intransitive: study for + [exam]
- study for an exam
- study hard
- study a subject
- study at a university
Grammar Patterns
study + [subject]
study for + [exam]
study to become + [profession]
Usage Note
Can be used transitively (study a subject) or intransitively (study for an exam, study to become something). The intransitive form often appears with 'for' or 'to'.
Common Mistakes
2. to look at something very closely and with great attention, trying to notice its
to look at something very closely and with great attention, trying to notice its details or understand what it means
The detective studied the blurry security video for any useful details.
object: visual material (photo, video, map)
Bao studied the hiking trail map before leaving the car at the starting point.
Eshe studied her brother's face carefully to see if he was telling the truth.
Sivan studied the fine print of the rental contract before signing it.
object: documents (contract, fine print)
Joaquín studied the old photograph on the wall, searching for his grandmother's face.
- study carefully
- study closely
- study someone's face
- study a document
- examine
more formal; can be used for medical or scientific contexts
- inspect
suggests looking for faults or problems
- scrutinise
more intense; implies very careful, critical examination
Grammar Patterns
study + [object]
Usage Note
Typically used with objects that have visual detail: a face, a document, a map, a photograph. Not used for academic subjects — that is sense 1. Frequently occurs with intensifiers like 'carefully' or 'closely'.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
Study and learn are often confused. Study focuses on the deliberate effort to gain knowledge — you sit down with books or materials and actively work. Learn is broader: you can learn a language by living abroad without ever formally studying it. Revise (British English) means reviewing material you have already studied, usually before an exam. Practise means repeating an activity (like playing an instrument or a sport) to improve your skill rather than to gain knowledge from books. For example: 'Eliska studies chemistry every evening.' 'She learned to cook from her grandmother.' 'Vivek revised the key points the night before the test.' 'Heloísa practises the piano for an hour every day.'
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'study' comes from Old French 'estudie', meaning 'intense application to learning', which in turn came from Latin 'studium', meaning 'zeal, devotion, eager pursuit'. The Latin root 'studēre' meant 'to be diligent, to devote oneself'. Over time the meaning narrowed from the general sense of eager effort to the specific activity of learning through reading and research. The sense of a room for reading and writing appeared in the 14th century, and the artistic sense (a preliminary drawing) dates from the 16th century.