adjective
Uncommon
interdisciplinary
in-ter-DIS-uh-plih-nair-ee
Interdisciplinary (adjective) means involving two or more different academic fields of study. Example: “The university offers an interdisciplinary degree in biology and computer science.”
adjective
1
Involving two or more different academic fields of study.
"The university offers an interdisciplinary degree in biology and computer science."
"Their interdisciplinary team included a historian, a chemist and an engineer."
"Climate research is often interdisciplinary."
How to use interdisciplinary
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDrawing on more than one field of study.
When to use it
It is common in academic and professional writing.
Memory tip
Break it into inter (between) and disciplinary to remember that it links fields.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
interdisciplinary research
interdisciplinary approach
interdisciplinary team
interdisciplinary studies
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The university offers an _____ degree in biology and computer science.
Etymology
The word is formed in English from the prefix inter- and the word disciplinary.
Synonyms
View more →
multidisciplinary
crossdisciplinary
Rhymes for interdisciplinary
See all rhymes for interdisciplinary →Frequently asked questions
What does interdisciplinary mean?
It describes work or study that involves two or more different academic fields.
What is an example of an interdisciplinary subject?
Cognitive science is one, since it draws on psychology, computer science and linguistics.
Is interdisciplinary the same as multidisciplinary?
The two are close and are often treated as near-synonyms. Both describe work that spans several fields.
What is the meaning of interdisciplinary?
"interdisciplinary" (adjective) means involving two or more different academic fields of study.
