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Definition of university

university

/ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːrsəti/
u · ni · ver · si · ty

Plural:universities
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university Lexical Profile

university Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

An institution of higher education and research that awards academic degrees in various disciplines and typically provides both undergraduate and postgraduate education.

Example

"She decided to apply to a prestigious university to pursue her master's degree in environmental science."


2

The physical campus, buildings, or the collective community of students, faculty, and staff associated with an institution of higher learning.

Example

"The entire university was buzzing with excitement on the eve of the annual championship game."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for university

Word Nuance & Usage

In American English, 'college' and 'university' are often used interchangeably to refer to undergraduate education, whereas in British English, 'university' specifically denotes a degree-awarding institution and is distinct from 'college'.

• Rhymes for university

Word Origin & Etymology

From Middle English 'universite', borrowed from Old French 'universitei', deriving from Latin 'universitas' meaning 'the whole' or 'aggregate', which in Medieval Latin came to denote a guild or corporation of students and teachers.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of University. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/university
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