university

American  

[yoo-nuh-vur-si-tee] / ˌyu nəˈvɜr sɪ ti /

noun

plural

universities

1. an institution of learning of the highest level, having a college of liberal arts and a program of graduate studies together with several professional schools, as of theology, law, medicine, and engineering, and authorized to confer both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Continental European universities usually have only graduate or professional schools.

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university British  

/ ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsɪtɪ /

noun

1. an institution of higher education having authority to award bachelors' and higher degrees, usually having research facilities

2. the buildings, members, staff, or campus of a university

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Other Word Forms

• antiuniversity adjective
• counteruniversity noun
• interuniversity adjective
• nonuniversity noun
• preuniversity adjective
• prouniversity adjective
• universitarian noun

Etymology

Origin of university

1250–1300; Middle English universite < Old French < Medieval Latin ūniversitās, Late Latin: guild, corporation, Latin: totality, equivalent to ūnivers ( us ) ( universe ) + -itās -ity

Compare meaning

How does university compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• State College vs. university

Example Sentences

MacKenzie Scott donated $700 million to more than a dozen historically Black colleges and universities, showing that not all tech billionaires are selfish and venal.

From Los Angeles Times

Lawmakers in the lower house made changes to Milei’s original budget proposal to allow funding for university education and disability payments, and Milei didn’t veto them.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ms Liew sold handcrafted jewellery to make ends meet, while relying on her savings and donations to put her youngest daughter through university.

From BBC

That led him to Anderson University, a Christian university about 45 miles northeast of Indianapolis.

From The Wall Street Journal

He drops off Miriam at her university in Pittsburgh and then, instead of turning back to Amy, keeps driving west, either to escape or to confront whatever his future will be.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• academy
• institution
• school