bachelor

American  

[bach-ler, bach-uh-ler] / ˈbætʃ lər, ˈbætʃ ə lər /

noun

1. an unmarried man.

2. a person who has been awarded a bachelor's degree.

3. a fur seal, especially a young male, kept from the breeding grounds by the older males.

4. Also called bachelor-at-arms.  a young knight who followed the banner of another.

5. Also called household knight.  a landless knight.

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bachelor British  

/ ˈbætʃlə, ˈbætʃələ /

noun

1. 1. an unmarried man

   2. ( as modifier )

      a bachelor flat

2. 1. a person who holds the degree of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Science, etc

   2. the degree itself

3. Also called: bachelor-at-arms.  (in the Middle Ages) a young knight serving a great noble

4. a young male seal, esp a fur seal, that has not yet mated

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Usage

Gender-neutral form: single person

Other Word Forms

• bachelorhood noun
• bachelorlike adjective
• bachelorly adjective
• nonbachelor noun
• prebachelor adjective

Etymology

Origin of bachelor

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English bacheler “squire, young knight,” from Old French; origin uncertain; probably from assumed Vulgar Latin baccalār(is) “tenant farmer, farm hand”; akin to Late Latin baccalāria “piece of land,” originallly plural of assumed baccalārium “dairy farm,” equivalent to assumed baccālis “pertaining to cows” (from bacca, variant of Latin vacca “cow” + -ālis + -ārium); -al ¹, -arium ( def. ) )

Example Sentences

"The coherence of the light in such a laser-cavity-system was the starting point of our calculations," says Max Schrauwen, a bachelor's student involved in the study.

From Science Daily

Since the early 1990s, the percentage of 35-year-old women with bachelor’s degrees who are married has remained steady at about 70%.

From The Wall Street Journal

At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned a bachelor of science and a medical degree, Levis became fascinated with T cells, the white blood cells that help defend the body from infections.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ilana, 27, joined the Navy Reserve after completing her bachelor’s degree and is on track to earn a joint law and business degree.

From The Wall Street Journal

The term broadly applies to people who work in offices and have higher education, such as a bachelor’s degree or some college.

From The Wall Street Journal