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Synonyms

higher education

American  

noun

  1. education beyond high school, specifically that provided by colleges and graduate schools, and professional schools.

higher education British  

noun

  1. education and training at colleges, universities, polytechnics, etc

"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 higher education

First recorded in 1865–70

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.

Housing and higher education have never been more expensive.

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

Thaksin's nephew Yodchanan Wongsawat, who became Pheu Thai's standard-bearer ahead of the February election, was made minister of higher education in Anutin's cabinet.

From Barron's • May 10, 2026

The disruption underscored how dependent higher education has become on centralized digital platforms that now manage nearly every aspect of academic life, from assignments and testing to communication and grading.

From Salon • May 9, 2026

Paul Gigot: My next subject I want to talk to you about is American higher education.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

In feudal times an ineptness with sword and spear headed a young man for the church: in the Hamilton family Joe’s inability properly to function at farm and forge headed him for a higher education.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.