community college

American  

noun

1. a nonresidential junior college established to serve a specific community and typically supported in part by local government funds.

---

community college British  

noun

1. another term for village college

2. a nonresidential college offering two-year courses of study

3. an adult education college with trade classes

---

Etymology

Origin of community college

An Americanism dating back to 1945–50

Example Sentences

The lieutenant governor serves on various boards that oversee the University of California, California State University and community college systems, and can be called upon to break a tie in the state Senate.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

He did a year of community college, worked as a water-meter reader and met his wife working at Applebee’s before moving to Chicago to do stand-up, then to New York in 2004.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

Somewhere between Rue and Cassie on the desperation scale sits Elle Fanning’s Margo Millet, an eager community college student whose money troubles start when she falls for one of the oldest tricks in the book.

From Salon • May 4, 2026

I spent a year attending community college philosophy classes, and some of the best nights of my life have been spent standing outside a strip-mall GameStop.

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026

He does not worry about who will care for his son while he works and his wife attends community college to become a physical therapist.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times