Studied

How to spell studied

7 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce studied

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does studied mean?

1. verbPast tense of 'study': applied the mind to learning, or examined something carefully.
2. adjectiveDone with deliberate, careful intent rather than spontaneously.

Studied in a sentence

• verb

  She studied accountancy at university before moving into management.

• adjective

  She met the accusation with studied calm, refusing to show any anger.

• verb

  He studied the contract closely before adding his signature.

• adjective

  His studied politeness made the refusal feel even more distant.

Where does studied come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word traces back to the Latin noun studium, which meant 'zeal, eagerness, or painstaking application' before it came to mean the pursuit of learning. The related Latin verb studere meant 'to be eager, to take pains, to devote oneself to' something. English picked it up through Old French estudier in the 1300s, originally carrying the sense of applying the mind diligently to a subject. The everyday verb 'study' settled into its modern form, and its past tense 'studied' simply follows the regular English rule of swapping the final 'y' for 'i' before adding '-ed'. That same studium root also gives us 'student' and 'studio', the latter literally a place of diligent work. As an adjective, 'studied' developed the sense of something done with deliberate care, as though it had been worked out in advance.

How the word is built

• stud- (from Latin studium: eagerness, application)
• -ied (past tense, where the -y of 'study' changes to -i before the ending)