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Synonyms

campus

American  
[kam-puhs] / ˈkæm pəs /

noun

campuses plural
  1. the grounds, often including the buildings, of a college, university, or school.

  2. a college or university.

    The large influx of older students radically changed many campuses throughout the country.

  3. a division of a university that has its own grounds, buildings, and faculty but is administratively joined to the rest of the university.

  4. the world of higher education.

    Foundation grants have had a marked effect on the character of the American campus.

  5. a large, usually suburban, landscaped business or industrial site.


campus British  
/ ˈkæmpəs /

noun

  1. the grounds and buildings of a university

  2. the outside area of a college, university, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of campus

1765–75, < Latin: flat place, field, plain

Explanation

The land and various buildings that make up a college are its campus. If you live on campus, you'll be close to your classes. When you hear the word campus, you generally think of a college or university, which include libraries and labs and classrooms and dormitories, all of which make up a campus. Other institutions, including hospitals, high schools, and some companies' office buildings, also have campuses. The word campus is Latin for "a field" or "an expanse surrounded."

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Vocabulary lists containing campus

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It is the brainchild of a company called Campus Guardian Angel, which has pilot programs using the technology in Georgia and Florida, with growing interest in Texas.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

The action comes as the university has invested about £75m in its new City Campus in Gloucester.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

“When I saw my face I was shocked,” says Rosie Lee Hooks, director of the Watts Towers Arts Center Campus.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

Mithril Defense is bringing its Campus Guardian Angel system to schools in Florida and Georgia to enhance security and reduce gun violence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

Most of the African-American students liked to live around Central Campus.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

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