The Seven Sciences
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A mediaeval term for the whole group of studies, viz. Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric (the Trivium), with Arithmetic, Music, Geometry, and Astronomy (the Quadrivium).
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The Seven Sciences” mean?
A mediaeval term for the whole group of studies, viz. Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric (the Trivium), with Arithmetic, Music, Geometry, and Astronomy (the Quadrivium).
Is “The Seven Sciences” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.