varsity

[ vahr-si-tee ]

/ ˈvɑr sɪ ti /

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noun, plural var·si·ties.

any first-string team, especially in sports, that represents a school, college, university, or the like: He is on the varsity in tennis and in debating.

Chiefly British Informal. university.

adjective

of or relating to a university or school team, activity, or competition: a varsity debater.

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Origin of varsity

1840–50; compare versity university, in 17th century; pronunciation probably preserves historical outcome of Middle English ĕr, as in varmint

OTHER WORDS FROM varsity

in·ter·var·si·ty, adjective

Words nearby varsity

varnishing day, varnish tree, varoom, Varro, varroa, varsity, Varsovian, Varuna, varus, varve, vary

How to use varsity in a sentence

Brandi Levy was 14 in 2017 when she used Snapchat to express her frustration after failing to make the Mahanoy Area High School varsity cheerleading squad.
Supreme Court backs cheerleader over school that punished her for Snapchat post|Jon Brodkin|June 23, 2021|Ars Technica
You might also ask how she finesses this without badmouthing the kids' father, since that's the varsity-parenting skill.
Carolyn Hax: Single-mom sister teaches her kids a cynical view of love. Is she wrong?|Carolyn Hax|June 11, 2021|Washington Post
A year later, realizing he wasn’t going to make the varsity, he asked Smith whether he could observe practices.
Roy Williams is walking away — and college basketball is losing a pillar of goodness|John Feinstein|April 1, 2021|Washington Post
It’s repurposed here to argue that voters should send “the varsity” and not “the JV team” if they want to stop China’s exploitation of America.
The Trailer: Election conspiracy theories are here to stay. Is the filibuster?|David Weigel|March 25, 2021|Washington Post

Sports practices and events have also been suspended, with exceptions being made for varsity women’s and men’s basketball.
Naval Academy moves nearly 200 midshipmen to hotels after rise in coronavirus cases|Lauren Lumpkin|March 4, 2021|Washington Post
Army B-squad players who fail to make it onto the varsity team after a year or two usually quit football.
A West Point MVP Who Never Played a Down|Nicolaus Mills|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Lewis did not get on the field for a single varsity game during his four years at West Point.
A West Point MVP Who Never Played a Down|Nicolaus Mills|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When he next tried out for the varsity, he weighed 174 pounds and was faster than he had been on his arrival at West Point.
How His West Point Football Experience Inspired Eisenhower|Nicolaus Mills|November 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Obama already has had to explain away comments linking the Islamic State to a junior varsity team.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: Sept 14|PunditFact.com|September 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Later that week, a player on the girls varsity walked up to me and asked if I was a reporter.
Native American Basketball Team in Wyoming Have Hoop Dreams Of Their Own|Robert Silverman|August 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
"Please, sir, I'm not out for the 'Varsity," said Stover confusedly.
The Varmint|Owen Johnson
"Green House, sir," said Stover, awed by the sight of a 'varsity jersey.
The Varmint|Owen Johnson
I am most particular in the choice of a curate, and should, of course, prefer a public school and 'Varsity man.
Hyacinth|George A. Birmingham
A great deal of speculation had been aroused by Bob Collingwood's determination to take Merriwell upon the 'varsity crew.
Frank Merriwell's Races|Burt L. Standish
Before he set out again for the west I gave him a supper, asking the men who had been with us in the old 'Varsity days.
Black Rock|Ralph Connor

British Dictionary definitions for varsity

varsity

/ (ˈvɑːsɪtɪ) /

noun plural -ties

British, NZ and Southern African informal university, formerly used esp at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

varsity

COMPARE MEANINGS

Origin of varsity

OTHER WORDS FROM varsity

Words nearby varsity

Words related to varsity

How to use varsity in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for varsity