learned society

A learned society is an organization that exists to promote an academic discipline or group of disciplines. Membership may be open to all, may require possession of some qualification, or may be an honor conferred by election, as is the case with the oldest learned societies, such as the Italian Accademia dei Lincei (founded 1603), the Académie Française (founded 1635), the Royal Society of London (founded 1660) or the Sodalitas Litterarum Vistulana (founded 1488).
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