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Definition of curriculum

curriculum

/kəˈrɪk.jə.ləm/
cur · ric · u · lum
Plural:curricula
•
Adjective:curricular
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curriculum Lexical Profile

curriculum Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The subjects comprising a course of study in a school, college, or university, or the organized educational content and learning experiences designed for a specific academic program.

Example

"The school district recently updated its science curriculum to include more hands-on laboratory experiments and environmental studies."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for curriculum

Word Nuance & Usage

While 'curriculum' refers to the overall set of subjects and academic content offered by a school or educational program, 'syllabus' typically refers to the specific outline of topics and assignments for a single course. Both the Latin plural 'curricula' and the regular plural 'curriculums' are accepted in standard English.

• Rhymes for curriculum

• Nearby Words

current
currently
curricular
curriculum
curry
currywurst
curse

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the early 17th century from Classical Latin 'curriculum', meaning 'a running, race, or course', derived from the verb 'currere' ('to run'). Its figurative application to a fixed course of academic study originated in Scottish universities such as the University of Glasgow.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Curriculum. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/curriculum
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