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Definition of case study noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

  • She co-authored a case study on urban development.

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case study meaning noun

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Definition of case study

Examples of case study in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'case study.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Dictionary Entries Near case study

case spring

case study method

Cite this Entry

“Case study.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/case%20study. Accessed 27 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on case study

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for case study

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about case study

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Definition of 'case study'

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case study in British English

Case study in american english, examples of 'case study' in a sentence case study, trends of case study.

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In other languages case study

  • American English : case study / ˈkeɪs ˌstʌdi /
  • Brazilian Portuguese : estudo de caso
  • Chinese : 个案研究
  • European Spanish : estudio
  • French : étude de cas
  • German : Fallstudie
  • Italian : studio di caso
  • Japanese : 事例研究
  • Korean : 사례 연구
  • European Portuguese : estudo de caso
  • Latin American Spanish : estudio

Browse alphabetically case study

  • case series
  • case stated
  • case system
  • case-by-case
  • case-by-case basis
  • All ENGLISH words that begin with 'C'

Related terms of case study

  • case-study method

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Definition of case study – Learner’s Dictionary

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(Definition of case study from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Translations of case study

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case study meaning noun

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case study noun

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What does the noun case study mean?

There are two meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun case study . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

How common is the noun case study ?

Where does the noun case study come from.

Earliest known use

The earliest known use of the noun case study is in the 1910s.

OED's earliest evidence for case study is from 1914, in Journal of American Criminal Law & Criminol.

case study is formed within English, by compounding.

Etymons: case n. 1 , study n.

Nearby entries

  • caser, n.² 1825–
  • caserack, n. 1766–
  • case report, n. 1897–
  • caserne, n. 1676–
  • caseroom, n. 1834–
  • case-sensitive, adj. 1981–
  • case sheet, n. 1871–
  • case shot, n. 1599–
  • case spring, n. 1866–
  • case stated, n. 1649–
  • case study, n. 1914–
  • case system, n. 1837–
  • case theory, n. 1981–
  • case-tree, n. 1706
  • casevac, n. 1953–
  • casevac, v. 1964–
  • case weed, n. a1500–
  • case-wing, n. 1686–1883
  • case-winged, adj. 1665–
  • casework, n.¹ 1767–
  • casework, n.² 1892–

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Meaning & use

Entry history for case study, n..

Originally published as part of the entry for case, n.¹

case study, n. was first published in 2014.

oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:

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Citation details

Factsheet for case study, n., browse entry.

IMAGES

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COMMENTS

  1. case study noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and ...

    a person, group of people, situation, etc. that is used to study a particular idea or theory. Athletes make an interesting case study for doctors. Definition of case study noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

  2. CASE STUDY | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

    CASE STUDY definition: 1. a detailed account giving information about the development of a person, group, or thing…. Learn more.

  3. Case study Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

    The meaning of CASE STUDY is an intensive analysis of an individual unit (such as a person or community) stressing developmental factors in relation to environment.

  4. CASE STUDY definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

    noun. 1. a study of an individual unit, as a person, family, or social group, usually emphasizing developmental issues and relationships with the environment, esp. in order to compare a larger group to the individual unit. 2. See case history.

  5. CASE STUDY Definition & Meaning - Dictionary.com

    Case study definition: a study of an individual unit, as a person, family, or social group, usually emphasizing developmental issues and relationships with the environment, especially in order to compare a larger group to the individual unit.. See examples of CASE STUDY used in a sentence.

  6. case study | definition in the Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary

    case study meaning: a report about a particular person or thing, to show an example of a general principle. Learn more.

  7. What Is a Case Study? | Definition, Examples & Methods - Scribbr

    A case study is a detailed study of a specific subject, such as a person, group, place, event, organization, or phenomenon. Case studies are commonly used in social, educational, clinical, and business research.

  8. Case Study Definition & Meaning - YourDictionary

    Case Study Definition. A detailed analysis of a person or group, especially as a model of medical, psychiatric, psychological, or social phenomena. A detailed intensive study of a unit, such as a corporation or a corporate division, that stresses factors contributing to its success or failure.

  9. Case study Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary

    CASE STUDY meaning: 1 : a published report about a person, group, or situation that has been studied over time; 2 : a situation in real life that can be looked at or studied to learn about something.

  10. case study noun - Oxford English Dictionary

    What does the noun case study mean? There are two meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun case study . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.