Ivy League

American  

noun

1. a group of colleges and universities in the northeastern U.S., consisting of Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, Dartmouth, Cornell, the University of Pennsylvania, and Brown, having a reputation for high scholastic achievement and social prestige.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Ivy League colleges or their students and graduates.

Ivy League British  

noun

1. 1. a group of eight universities (Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth College, Harvard, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale) that have similar academic and social prestige in the US to Oxford and Cambridge in Britain

   2. ( as modifier )

      an Ivy-League education

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Ivy League Cultural  

1. A group of eight old, distinguished colleges and universities in the East, known for their ivy-covered brick buildings. The members of the Ivy League are Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale Universities; Dartmouth College; and the University of Pennsylvania.

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Other Word Forms

• Ivy Leaguer
  noun

Etymology

Origin of Ivy League

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

“Unlike private Ivy League colleges, public universities must strive to serve all sectors of the state and all segments of the population,” he told me.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026

Matt Freese was no ordinary Ivy League student trying to fast track his professional career.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026

Although it is not a part of the Ivy League, it is considered by many to be on par with schools like Harvard University, founded in 1636, or Columbia University, founded in 1754.

From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026

This increase in density is similar to what might be seen in other elite networks, such as graduating from an Ivy League school.

From Salon • Jun. 20, 2026

The kid had never held a job in his life and was spending his summer break from the Ivy League here, ostensibly to get training.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray