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

As for Steers, the renaissance woman was a children’s author and screenwriter, having received a bachelor’s degree from UCLA, according to her Linkedin account.

From Los Angeles Times

Gordon earned his bachelor’s in history from Yale University and a master’s in international economics & foreign policy from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

From The Wall Street Journal

These are “sociable, bro-ey men in their twenties and thirties,” Mr. Funt explains, “the kind of guys who have matured since their fraternity days but can still let loose on a bachelor party.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Tuliaupupu is now pursuing his third degree, as he already earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2022, before earning his master’s degree in project management.

From MarketWatch

Elizabeth received a bachelor’s degree in journalism and English from Indiana University and a master’s degree in journalism with honors from Columbia University.

From The Wall Street Journal