baccalaureate
Americannoun
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a religious service held at an educational institution, usually on the Sunday before commencement day.
noun
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the university degree of Bachelor or Arts, Bachelor of Science, etc
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an internationally recognized programme of study, comprising different subjects, offered as an alternative to a course of A levels in Britain
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a farewell sermon delivered at the commencement ceremonies in many colleges and universities
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of baccalaureate
1615–25; < Medieval Latin baccalaureātus, equivalent to baccalaure ( us ) advanced student, bachelor (for baccalārius ( see bachelor), alteration by association with Latin phrase bacca laureus laurel berry) + -ātus -ate 1
Explanation
The noun baccalaureate means the same thing as a bachelor's degree from college. It can also refer to a "baccalaureate service," which is a like a farewell ceremony for graduating seniors from high school or college. You can “receive a baccalaureate” or you can “attend a baccalaureate.” If you receive a baccalaureate that means you have received a bachelor's degree for undergraduate studies in college. When you attend a baccalaureate, that means you are attending a ceremony celebrating graduating seniors. Traditionally, a baccalaureate was a religious service held the Sunday before graduation, but in modern times it doesn’t necessarily have a religious meaning.
Vocabulary lists containing baccalaureate
Warriors Don't Cry (Abridged)
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Warriors Don't Cry
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Vocabulary from Readings 3, Unit 1
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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.
Yale had gone test-optional in 2020, then four years later mandated that students submit a score from SAT, ACT, International Baccalaureate or Advanced Placement exams.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
Baccalaureate exams - the French equivalent of A-levels - will continue during the heatwaves, despite some schools having to shut their doors due to inhospitable temperatures inside.
From BBC • May 28, 2026
He lives in La Crescenta, having moved from an Eagle Rock apartment years ago, but attends the school as part of the International Baccalaureate programs.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 1, 2024
While it will require standardized tests, Yale said its policy would be “test flexible,” permitting students to submit scores from subject-based Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate tests in lieu of SAT or ACT scores.
From New York Times • Feb. 22, 2024
Gertrude never looked more beautiful than she did in the white-robed procession, as, on Baccalaureate Sunday, the several classes passed down the aisles of the church.
From The Harris-Ingram Experiment by Bolton, Charles E. (Charles Edward)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
