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community college

American  

noun

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


community college British  

noun

  1. another term for village college

  2. a nonresidential college offering two-year courses of study

  3. 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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


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.

See Examples For:

In the community college system, recruitment is crucial, and competing against schools such as Glendale, College of the Canyons, and Pierce—which have their own facilities—is always an uphill battle for Mission College.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2026

At a community college, where the players change every one or two years, continuity depends on the culture being passed down from one generation to the next.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2026

They are also offering communities millions in local investments such as free community college and energy efficiency upgrades, and in some cases, pledging to give residents checks if data centers are built.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

The pitcher previously quit baseball, dropped out of community college, worked at a 7-Eleven and underwent Tommy John surgery in 2024.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

"We have a terrific community college nearby. We'll just sign you up for the few requirements you'll need to attend there, shall we?"

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins

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