state university

American  

noun

1. a university maintained by the government of a state.

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Etymology

Origin of state university

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35

Example Sentences

These buyouts are absurd, an outgrowth of a crazed marketplace and undeniably screwy optics at a state university.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 4, 2025

George Mason, with more than 40,000 students, is the most racially diverse public research university in the state, university officials say.

From Salon • Jul. 14, 2025

Part of the challenge here is that Twitter, at its best, was like a giant state university.

From Slate • Jun. 12, 2025

It became even more difficult with a recent ruling by the California Court of Appeals, which found that the state university system was not required to reimburse a professor for pandemic-related work expenses, she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 28, 2024

His plan took shape the evening he escorted my sisters Lisa and Gretchen and me to the local state university to see Dave Brubeck, who was then touring with his sons.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris