(usually capitalized) A follower of Plato, a Platonist.

A senior member of an academy, college, or university; a person who attends an academy; a person engaged in scholarly pursuits; one who is academic in practice.

A member of the Academy; an academician.

A student in a college.

Academic dress; academicals.

Academic studies.

Belonging to the school or philosophy of Plato

"the academic sect or philosophy"

Belonging to an academy or other higher institution of learning; also a scholarly society or organization.

Theoretical or speculative; abstract; scholarly, literary or classical, in distinction to practical or vocational

"I have always had an academic interest in hacking."

Having little practical use or value, as by being overly detailed, unengaging, or theoretical: having no practical importance.

Having a love of or aptitude for learning.

"I'm more academic than athletic — I get lower marks in phys. ed. than in anything else."

Conforming to set rules and traditions; conventional; formalistic.

So scholarly as to be unaware of the outside world; lacking in worldliness.

Subscribing to the architectural standards of Vitruvius.

Study of humanities topics rather than science and engineering.