university

American  

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

noun

universities plural

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

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• universities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of university

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

Compare meaning

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

• State College vs. university

Explanation

A university is a big school where you go to get a degree — maybe even a master’s or PhD. If you’re going to a university, you’re probably on a big campus that also offers housing for students and professors. Just like the word universe (“the whole world”), university comes from the Latin word universus, meaning "whole, entire." So think of a university as being sort of a world of its own — an institute of higher education where you live and study. A university generally offers advanced degrees and research opportunities in many fields. Sometimes college and university are used to mean the same thing, but colleges are typically smaller and more limited in scope than universities.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

university universities

Those findings contrast with what the university said in a recently released summary of the investigation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

The firm detailed numerous reputational risks about Moore that it said were known at the university.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

A similar proportion opened away from the High Street in locations including petrol forecourts, supermarkets, retail parks, hospitals and university campuses, it said.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

GSK separately announced Tuesday that it plans to invest £400 million on a new major R&D centre in university city Cambridge, eastern England.

From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026

Like his misguided obsession with those Potomac canals, his campaign for a national university in the capital city never bore fruit.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

“Over the next couple years, it will predominantly be a scientific debate, exactly like AI was debated in the universities using GPUs to look at neural networks.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

"For the authoritarian, culture is the enemy. Whether that's journalism or universities or music or writing," Rushdie said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

It’s true that the university has signed on as a co-plaintiff in several lawsuits brought jointly by the Assn. of American Universities and two other associations representing big universities.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

Universities UK, which represents more than 140 higher education institutions, said universities were working to improve support, reporting and campus safety for Jewish students.

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

Like universities across the country, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh holds its spring commencement in May.

From "Women in Space" by Karen Bush Gibson

Related Words

• academy
• institution
• school