a learned person (especially in the humanities); someone who by long study has gained mastery in one or more disciplines
"The professor was invited to speak at the conference as a leading scholar of medieval literature."
someone (especially a child) who learns (as from a teacher) or takes up knowledge or beliefs
"The young scholar spent hours memorizing ancient texts under his tutor's guidance."
a student who holds a scholarship
"The new scholar will spend the next year studying advanced physics at Cambridge University thanks to her full scholarship."
A student; one who studies at school or college, typically having a scholarship.
"The bright young scholar studied diligently to maintain her university scholarship."
In plain English: A scholar is someone who studies hard and knows a lot about many subjects, often through formal education or self-study.
"The university hired the scholar to teach history next semester."
Usage: In modern English, use "student" to refer to anyone enrolled in an educational institution rather than the older term "scholar," which specifically denotes someone receiving financial aid via a scholarship. Avoid using "scholar" as a general synonym for student unless you are emphasizing that the person has been awarded funding.
The word scholar comes from Old English scōlere, which was borrowed from Late Latin scholāris meaning a learner or student. Its roots trace back to Ancient Greek, originally referring to spare time and the knowledge gained during that leisure before evolving to mean the place of learning itself.