interdisciplinary-approach
/ˌɪn.təˌdɪs.ɪˈplɪn.ər.i əˈprəʊtʃ/ IELTSAcademic
noun
A way of studying or solving a problem that uses ideas from two or more subjects. It brings different fields together to get a fuller result.
- The project used an interdisciplinary approach.
- Doctors took an interdisciplinary approach to treatment.
- The course uses an interdisciplinary approach to climate change.
Adinary Nuance
An interdisciplinary approach is different from a multidisciplinary one. Multidisciplinary means different subjects work side by side, but interdisciplinary means they connect more closely. Use this phrase when the subjects really combine, not just appear together. It is common in academic writing and research.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- liên ngành
- Spanish
- enfoque interdisciplinario
- Chinese
- 跨学科方法
- Japanese
- 学際的アプローチ
- Korean
- 학제 간 접근
Etymology
Interdisciplinary comes from inter- meaning “between” and disciplinary, from discipline, meaning a subject of study. The phrase became common in modern academic English in the 20th century.
Common phrases
an interdisciplinary approachan interdisciplinary teaminterdisciplinary researchan interdisciplinary study
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary?
- Interdisciplinary means subjects are connected and combined. Multidisciplinary means subjects are used together, but more separately.
- Is interdisciplinary approach formal?
- Yes. It is common in academic, research, and professional writing.
- Can I use interdisciplinary approach in IELTS writing?
- Yes, especially in Task 2 or academic topics. It sounds precise and formal.
- How do I use interdisciplinary approach in a sentence?
- You can say, “The university supports an interdisciplinary approach to learning.”