WordWeb Online

1. Associated with academia or an academy
   "the academic curriculum"; "academic gowns"
    
2. Hypothetical or theoretical and not expected to produce an immediate or practical result
   "an academic discussion"; "an academic question"
    
3. Marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning, esp. trivial aspects and overly fine distinctions
   "All his life he went on making academic jokes";
   - donnish, pedantic
    
4. Having an aptitude for study

1. An educator who works at a college or university
   - academician, faculty member

Derived forms: academics

See also: scholarly, theoretical

Type of: educator, pedagog [US], pedagogue

Antonym: unacademic

Encyclopedia: Academic