diploma

American  

[dih-ploh-muh] / dɪˈploʊ mə /

noun

plural

diplomas,

plural

diplomata

1. a document given by an educational institution conferring a degree on a person or certifying that the person has satisfactorily completed a course of study.

2. a document conferring some honor, privilege, or power.

3. a public or official document, especially one of historical interest.

   a diploma from Carolingian times.

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verb (used with object)

diplomaed, diplomaing

1. to grant or award a diploma to.

diploma British  

/ dɪˈpləʊmə /

noun

1. a document conferring a qualification, recording success in examinations or successful completion of a course of study

2. an official document that confers an honour or privilege

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Other Word Forms

• prediploma noun
• undiplomaed adjective

Etymology

Origin of diploma

1635–45; < Latin diplōma a letter of recommendation, an official document < Greek díplōma a letter folded double, equivalent to diplō-, variant stem of diploûn to double (derivative of diplóos; diplo- ) + -ma suffix of result

Example Sentences

A few years later, with newspapers struggling in the face of smart phones and the internet, Daily moved to England to do a two-year creative writing diploma at Oxford University.

From BBC

Much of it is delivered by registered behavior technicians, who can have little training beyond high-school diplomas in some states and may earn less than $20 an hour.

From The Wall Street Journal

“It takes the average pupil four years for a diploma,” Tansy calculated.

From Literature

I would happily get my diploma if he would give up the idea of my getting married.

From Literature

I stash my diploma and award certificates inside a desk drawer where I won’t have to look at them, and I slide the duplicate Emily Dickinson book onto my highest bookshelf.

From Literature

Related Words

• credentials
• degree
• recognition
• voucher
• warrant