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Definition of harvard
harvard
/ˈhɑːrvərd/
Har · vard
Plural:Harvards
harvard Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
5
Tier
2
Usage
Top 10k
• noun
1
American A prestigious private Ivy League research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, established in 1636 as the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States.
Example
"She earned her law degree from Harvard before joining the prominent firm."
2
American A student or graduate of Harvard University.
Example
"The executive board was predominantly composed of Harvards and Yalies."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Named in 1639 after John Harvard, an English clergyman and the college's first major benefactor. His surname derives from the Old English personal name 'Hereweard', composed of 'here' (army) and 'weard' (guard).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Harvard. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/harvard