learned

Learned is an English adjective describing a person who has acquired substantial knowledge or education. It can refer to someone who is scholarly, well-read, or versed in a particular field. The phrase the learned has historically been used as a collective noun for scholars or experts, especially in references to universities, libraries, or scholarly societies.

The word learned originates from the verb learn; learned is the past participle form and developed into an adjective meaning educated. In English, its use to denote erudition dates back to early modern times, and it has often carried a formal or solemn tone in literary and academic contexts.

In modern usage, learned appears in contexts such as learned societies, academic discourse, and as a descriptive attribute in formal writing. It coexists with synonyms like erudite and scholarly and can appear in phrases such as the learned disciplines or the learned professions, though such usage tends to be more common in historical or stylistic contexts.

Learned is also a surname. As a family name, it is found in English-speaking countries and may be encountered in historical records and contemporary documents.