university

American  

[yoo-nuh-vur-si-tee] / ˌyu nəˈvɜr sɪ ti /

noun

plural

universities

1. an institution of learning of the highest level, having a college of liberal arts and a program of graduate studies together with several professional schools, as of theology, law, medicine, and engineering, and authorized to confer both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Continental European universities usually have only graduate or professional schools.

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university British  

/ ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsɪtɪ /

noun

1. an institution of higher education having authority to award bachelors' and higher degrees, usually having research facilities

2. the buildings, members, staff, or campus of a university

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Other Word Forms

• antiuniversity adjective
• counteruniversity noun
• interuniversity adjective
• nonuniversity noun
• preuniversity adjective
• prouniversity adjective
• universitarian noun

Etymology

Origin of university

1250–1300; Middle English universite < Old French < Medieval Latin ūniversitās, Late Latin: guild, corporation, Latin: totality, equivalent to ūnivers ( us ) ( universe ) + -itās -ity

Compare meaning

How does university compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• State College vs. university

Example Sentences

Students at universities across Tehran clashed with pro-regime demonstrators on Sunday, as anger over a brutal government crackdown spilled onto university campuses for a second straight day in a sign of rising unrest.

From The Wall Street Journal

By AOC’s own account, she met privately with a number of left-leaning German ministers and legislators and spoke before a packed house at a Berlin university.

From Salon

Protests were also reported at other universities in Tehran and elsewhere.

From BBC

To qualify for one of the jobs set aside for sportsmen and women, she needs to keep playing at state level or better until after she finishes university.

From BBC

Franks was desperate to get into Footlights, the famous university drama group, but kept being rejected.

From BBC

Related Words

• academy
• institution
• school