Meaning

(historical) A medieval writer, scholar or teacher of the subjects taught at early European universities (such as theology, metaphysics and logic); a scholastic..

Example Sentences

1597, Francis Bacon, Essays, London: John Jaggard, 1613, “Of Studies,” So if a mans wit be wandering, let him study Mathematicks; if his wit be not apt to distinguish, or finde difference, let him study the Schoole-men; if it be not apt to beat over matters, and to find out resemblances, let him study Lawyers cases. So every defect of the mind may have speciall receit.

1764, James Murray, The History of Religion, 2nd edition, London: C. Henderson et al., Volume 1, Chapter 1, p. 65, Purgatory was a device of St. Austin’s in this century; but he both said and unsaid it, and at last, like a wise schoolman, left it doubtful.

1913, Theodore Roosevelt, Autobiography, Appendix, “Socialism,” Too many thoroughly well-meaning men and women in the America of to-day glibly repeat and accept—much as medieval schoolmen repeated and accepted authorized dogma in their day—various assumptions and speculations by Marx and others which by the lapse of time and by actual experiment have been shown to possess not one shred of value.

If that I did not know philosophy To be of all our vanities the motliest, The merest word that ever fool’d the ear From out the schoolman’s jargon, I should deem The golden secret, the sought “Kalon,” found, And seated in my soul.

Word Forms

• schoolmen

Synonyms for schoolman

Related Words

When Should You Use Schoolman?

Use schoolman when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

Practice This Word

Frequently Asked Questions