Education came from the word

Seen in Latin as educatio, linked to the use of the verb ‘to educate’ as educāre, to express a principle of directing or guiding, associated with educĕre, interpreted as ‘revealing’ or ‘exposing’ to the outside, composed of the prefix ex-, indicating ‘to take out’ or ‘to externalize’, and ducĕre, for the action of ‘to conduce’ (in Latin conducĕre, governed by the prefix con-, in terms of union or totality), evidencing reference in the Indo-European *deuk-, for ‘to lead’, carrying or guiding, whose influence is manifested in duke (from the French duc, in reference to the Latin forms dux, ducis), to produce (over the Latin in producĕre) or even in seduce (defined by the Latin seducĕre). A clear idea is expressed: to promote the intellectual and cultural development of the individual and, at the same time, to encourage the learning of new concepts and skills.

As a general rule, all educational processes are carried out by a professional educator, as described in the Latin educātor. This person is responsible for instilling knowledge and skills in schools. The other essential way of learning is based on being self-taught, or an autodidact, a term found in the French autodidacte from the Greek origin word autodídaktos.

In the ancient world, there were no schools as we know them today. In the case of Athens, there were spaces for reflection and debate (for example, Plato’s Academy or Aristotle’s Lyceum).

In the Sparta Polis children received an education with a strong military style, since discipline was hard and behavior was molded through physical exercise

In Roman civilization there was an educational model based on the trivium (it included rhetorical, grammatical and dialectical knowledge) and the quadrivium (music, astronomy, arithmetic and geometry). It was in this historical period that the teacher-student relationship was consolidated, but only for the privileged sector of society (the common people were on the margins of education and the social elites were educated in a balancing knowledge, art and physical exercise).

During the Middle Ages the only cultural centers were linked to the church (in the monasteries there were libraries and in them the scribes copied the different texts). During the Middle Ages the first universities appeared in cities such as Bologna, Paris, Oxford or Salamanca, as well as the first municipal schools to care for orphaned children (for example, in the city of Valencia in 1410 the Imperial College of Orphaned Children of San Vicente Ferrer was founded).

It was from the period of the Enlightenment in the 18th century when the first public education centers appeared, free and mandatory for the entire young population. The European absolute monarchs promoted the first public schools to educate the people (for example, the Prussian school followed the Spartan model and encouraged discipline and authoritarian regime in order to make the population docile and easily manipulated).

Schools as state-regulated educational institutions developed throughout the nineteenth century along with the expansion of capitalism.

What is education? What do we mean by the word ‘education’? Here, we will learn the definition of education. Definitions that are defined by various organizations. And then, we will add something.

Definition of Education

If you search the definition of education on Google, they will provide you the definition from the Oxford Languages Dictionary. What does it say?

Education is the process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university. — The Oxford Language

It also defined education as an enlightening experience. Now move on and see what UNESCO says?

Education is the process of faciliatating learning, or the acquisition of knowlegde, skills, values, morals, beliefs, habits, and personal development. — UNESCO

 Now before seeing some more, we can have a little discussion here. We are seeing that Oxford says it is systematic instructions that are mainly given at a school or university. Then we see that Wikipedia mentioned UNESCO’s definition that says what are these instructions? UNESCO added knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, morals, habits, and personal development as these instructions.

Education refers to the descipline that is concerned with methods of teaching and learning in schools or school-like environments, as opposed to various nonformal and informal means of socialization. — Britannica

 If we read this with attention, we can find that Britannica and Oxford say the same here. Merriam-Webster says «Education is the action or process of educating or of being educated.»

Hopefully, we’ve learned what is the definition of education. Now we can go through the history of this word.

History of the Word ‘Education’

English word ‘Education’ came from Latin word ‘Educare’ which means to train/to more. The Latin word ‘Educatio’  came from this ‘educare’. From this English word ‘educate’ came and in the mid 16th century the word ‘Education’ came. The use of this word was increased from the late 1800s. From the beginning of the 1900s, people started to use this word more. 

Synonyms and Antonyms of Education

There are a lot of synonyms of education. Some directly mean it, some mean something else that was meant by the word ‘education’ based on the use. Do you know ‘Brainwashing’ is also a synonym for education?

Culture, improvement, discipline, learning, teaching, schooling, literacy are some other synonyms for education.

Ignorance is the direct antonym of the word ‘Education’. Destruction and neglect can also be used.

Why Do We Get Education?

We get education. Not only this, men marked education as one of the fundamental needs of education. Why it is?

We get education because it helps a person to develop his/her communication skills, develops critical thinking, helps a person to meet job qualifications and to get a job, it creates awareness. It helps to be self-reliant, empowered. It gives more stability and financial security.

That’s all for this. Stay with us.