Forms: 5–6 erudicioun(e, 6 erudician, -ion, -yon, erudycyon, -ditioun, -dytion, 5– erudition. [ad. L. ērudītiōn-em, n. of action f. ērudīre: see prec. Cf. F. érudition.]
† 1. The action or process of training or instructing; instruction, education. Obs.
c. 1400. Beryn, 1428. I seyd a word or to … Ffor thyne erudicioune.
1483. Caxton, Cato, 2. For the erudition of my lord Bousher.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, III. (1822), 268. Commoun skulis war devisit for erudicioun of young persouns.
a. 1626. Bacon, Max. & Uses Com. Law, xviii. (1630), 74. Hee had contracted for his owne aliments and erudition.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, I. vi. This gift Jenny had … improved by erudition.
† 2. concr. Imparted instruction, teaching; also a doctrine, maxim. Obs.
1528. Roy, Sat., a ij b–a iij. Doinge after the apostles erudicion … I … will not be negligent to put my brethren in remembraunce.
1567. Trial Treas., in Hazl., Dodsley, III. 300. Let all men consider this good erudition.
1574. trans. Littleton’s Tenures, 77 b. It is a common erudicion and learning that a man [etc.].
3. † a. The state or condition of being trained or instructed; const. in, of (obs.). b. In later use: Acquired knowledge, esp. in languages, literature, antiquities, etc.; learning, scholarship.
1530. Palsgr., Introd., 6. Your noble graces other manyfolde sortes of excellent erudytion and lytterature.
a. 1533. Frith, Another Bk. agst. Rastell (1829), 210. More and Rochester were men of … singular erudition in all kind of learning.
1536. Bellenden, Cron. Scot. (1821), I. p. xviii. Howbeit they had na sicker cognosance and ful erudition of al thingis.
a. 1639. Wotton, Paral., in Reliq. (1651), 19 (J.). The Earl was of good Erudition, having been placed at study in Cambridge very young.
1718. Free-thinker, No. 18. 110. Madam Dacier has the Advantage in Point of Erudition.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 65. She [Queen Christiana] had a romantic taste for classical erudition and the fine arts.
1860. Macaulay, Biog. (1867), 13. Exhibiting a little erudition in such a manner as to make it look like a great deal.
1862. Goulburn, Pers. Relig., i. (1873), 3. Some Monks and Priests … represented all the erudition of their times.
† 4. Of a coin: Perfect workmanship, finish. Obs. rare.
1702. Addison, Dial. Medals, Wks. 1721, I. 437. The intrinsic value of an old coin does not consist in its metal but its erudition. It is the Device that has raised the species.
1747. Dingley, Gems, in Phil. Trans., XLIV. 506. The Merit both of Intaglio’s and Cameo’s depends on their Erudition, on the Goodness of the Workmanship, and on the Beauty of their Polish.
Hence Eruditional a., of or pertaining to erudition, † educational, disciplinary. Eruditionist, one who devotes himself to erudition or training.
1657. M. Lawrence, Use & Practice of Faith, 245. A conditional speech, is but an eruditional speech, to warn us of our own weakness.
1805. W. Taylor, in Robberds, Mem., II. 107. The poem struck me as … having lyrical and eruditional merit.
1836. Chalmers, Mor. & Mental Philos., Wks. V. 57. They never fully grappled with the question as eruditionists.
