diploma
Americannoun
plural
diplomas,plural
diplomata-
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.
-
a document conferring some honor, privilege, or power.
-
a public or official document, especially one of historical interest.
a diploma from Carolingian times.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
a document conferring a qualification, recording success in examinations or successful completion of a course of study
-
an official document that confers an honour or privilege
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The top eight receive a diploma for their achievements.
From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026
Toruño dropped out of high school amid personal instability and lack of resources, later earned her diploma and pursued a paralegal certification, motivated by her own experiences navigating the U.S. immigration system.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2026
The exhibition’s opening gallery, graced by the artists’ portraits and their diploma paintings for the Royal Academy, sets the stage for the brilliant dialogue that stretched throughout their careers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026
Although the education requirement to be hired as an EA at most companies is a high-school diploma, these roles are often regarded as the backbone of an organization.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 21, 2026
My name would be heralded far and wide; the governor would shake my hand; the university would award me a diploma.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
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.
