learning something in order to be able to repeat it from memory, rather than in order to understand it

We are concerned that questions like these appear to require only rote learning rather than a deeper understanding of the subject.

Eventually they abandoned their old system of rote learning.

The emphasis in most schools is still on rote learning.

Many students' introduction to multiplication involves rote learning of multiplication tables and little else.

This government has reduced education to little more than rote learning.

See also: rote