an institution of higher learning, especially one providing a general or liberal arts education rather than technical or professional training.Compare university.
a constituent unit of a university, furnishing courses of instruction in the liberal arts and sciences, usually leading to a bachelor's degree.
an institution for vocational, technical, or professional instruction, as in medicine, pharmacy, agriculture, or music, often a part of a university.
an endowed, self-governing association of scholars incorporated within a university, as at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England.
a similar corporation outside a university.
the building or buildings occupied by an institution of higher education.
the administrators, faculty, and students of a college.
(in Britain and Canada) a private secondary school.
an organized association of persons having certain powers and rights, and performing certain duties or engaged in a particular pursuit: The electoral college formally selects the president.
a company; assemblage.
Also called collegium. a body of clergy living together on a foundation for religious service or similar activity.
BritishSlang. a prison.
Origin of college
1350–1400;Middle English < Anglo-French,Middle French < Latincollēgium, equivalent to col-col-1 + lēg-, variant stem of legere to gather + -ium-ium; cf. colleague
Related formspost·col·lege, noun, adjectivepre·col·lege, noun, adjectivesub·col·lege, noun
"body of scholars and students within a university," late 14c., from Old French college "collegiate body" (14c.), from Latin collegium "community, society, guild," literally "association of collegae" (see colleague). At first meaning any corporate group, the sense of "academic institution" attested from 1560s became the principal sense in 19c. via use at Oxford and Cambridge.
