academy

noun (plural academies)

• 1a place of study or training in a special field:a police academy
• dated a place of study:he was educated privately at academies in Margate
• (in England) an inner-city school which is funded by the government and sometimes also by a private individual or organization but is not controlled by the local authority.
• US & Scottish a secondary school, in the US typically a private one: Mark left St Andrews Academy with five highers, and studied maths at Glasgow University
• (the Academy) the teaching school founded by Plato.

• 2a society or institution of distinguished scholars and artists or scientists that aims to promote and maintain standards in its particular field:the Royal Academy of Arts