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

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• intercampus
  adjective
• noncampus
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• campuses
  plural

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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

campus campuses

The sun was bright, the mood ebullient and the campus lively ahead of a football game weekend.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

To foster competition and innovation, he writes, donors should give to “alternative institutions” such as Carnegie Mellon University’s proposed Miami campus or the University of Austin.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

Former school board member David Tokofsky said that Franklin used to have two assigned officers out of concern for keeping the campus safe from the influence of a notorious local gang.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

The historic campus, with its 1800-era buildings that survived the Civil War and its curving brick-paved paths, was the nexus for my inquiry.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

“We’ll have the campus all to ourselves. I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve asked a few of my colleagues to join us as we test your IQ.”

From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein

Filmmakers shot the series on real historically Black campuses, including Morehouse College, Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University, said the sequel’s showrunner, Felicia Pride.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026

Survivors, students and advocates rallied and protested in communities and on college campuses across more than 40 states.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

Unified School District to add more security cameras on campus, install more safeguards along railings and ensure all campuses have police officers staffed on site.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

She’s up against similar issues now, after a federal judge ruled against restoring early voting sites on several college campuses in her state earlier this year.

From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026

Furious students completely shut down 450 college campuses, and protestors poured into Washington, D.C.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• dorm
• square