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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.

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

From Salon • Apr. 29, 2026

The revenue will also support a budget that provides free community college and invests in housing, she added.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

Ross, meanwhile, is trying to ingratiate himself with and improve the local community by funding scholarships for hundreds of local public high-school students to attend a nearby community college.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 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

That summer, Adam was working at the center part-time while going to community college, where he was studying business.

From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles

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