v. ed·u·cat·ed, ed·u·cat·ing, ed·u·cates
1. To develop the mental, moral, or social capabilities of, especially by schooling or instruction. See Synonyms at teach.
2. To provide with knowledge or training in a particular area or for a particular purpose: decided to educate herself in foreign languages; entered a seminary to be educated for the priesthood.
3. To provide with information, as in an effort to gain support for a position or to influence behavior: hoped to educate the voters about the need for increased spending on public schools.
4. To develop or refine (one's taste or appreciation, for example).
To teach or instruct a person or group.
[Middle English educaten, from Latin ēducāre, ēducātus; see deuk- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2018 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices
Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:
The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.