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community college

American

noun

a nonresidential junior college established to serve a specific community and typically supported in part by local government funds.

community college British

noun

another term for village college
a nonresidential college offering two-year courses of study
an adult education college with trade classes

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of community college

An Americanism dating back to 1945–50

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.

He did a year of community college, worked as a water-meter reader and met his wife working at Applebee’s before moving to Chicago to do stand-up, then to New York in 2004.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

Gannaway’s adviser, Unity Seay, helped her find jobs, tap a state program that pays community college tuition and weather rough patches—such as when juggling a full-time job with school almost pushed her to drop out.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

She persevered and graduated from a high school special education program, then attempted community college.

From Salon • Apr. 29, 2026

I spent a year attending community college philosophy classes, and some of the best nights of my life have been spent standing outside a strip-mall GameStop.

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026

“You can go to community college, just like your sister.”

From "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" by Erika L. Sánchez

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023