syllabus

noun

syl·​la·​bus ˈsi-lə-bəs 

plural syllabi ˈsi-lə-ˌbī 

-ˌbē

or syllabuses

1

: a summary outline of a discourse, treatise, or course of study or of examination requirements

2

: headnote sense 2

Examples of syllabus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For one, Palestine by Joe Sacco, which found its way onto academic syllabi before gaining steam as a collected volume of graphic reporting. —Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Apr. 2026

Hampshire then made the course syllabi available to other colleges, helping spur a broader effort to teach the Holocaust at a college level, according to Vromen. —Andrew Lapin, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026

The latest bots have massive context windows, meaning that students can feed in mountains of course content such as syllabi, lecture slides, and practice exams. —Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026

Fenn is giving a route syllabus, safety talk and motivational speech that’s heavy on the realities of a ride through the center of San Francisco that ends near morning rush hour. —Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle, 13 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, alteration of Latin sillybus label for a book, from Greek sillybos

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

syllabus

noun

syl·​la·​bus ˈsil-ə-bəs 

plural syllabi -ˌbī 

-ˌbē

or syllabuses

: a brief outline (as of a course of study)