1. medieval scholars, especially theologians and philosophers who taught in universities and developed scholastic philosophy
Usage: historical; academic

Examples

• The schoolmen of the Middle Ages sought to reconcile Aristotelian philosophy with Christian doctrine.
• Thomas Aquinas was one of the most influential schoolmen of the 13th century.
• The schoolmen developed complex systems of logic and reasoning.
• Medieval universities were dominated by the teachings of the schoolmen.
• The scholastic method used by the schoolmen involved rigorous debate and analysis.
• Renaissance humanists often criticized the methods of the schoolmen as overly abstract.