plural HBCUs
: a college or university in the U.S. established before 1964 for African American students : a historically Black college or university
the state's largest HBCU

Note: The term HBCU was created as a federal designation during the 1986 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which expanded federal funding for colleges and universities.

HBCU

2 of 2

abbreviation

historically Black colleges and universities

Examples of HBCU in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Knoxville College is a small HBCU, or historically Black college or university, founded in 1875. Phil Helsel, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2024 Yes, but: Easley praises Trump's support for HBCU funding. Monica Eng, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024 Producer Will Packer, singer-actor Fantasia Barrino and gospel superstar Hezekiah Walker are among the notables who will be celebrated at the 2nd annual HBCU Honors, which recognize prominent alumni of HBCU institutions. William Earl, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024 Harris graduated from the Washington, D.C., HBCU in 1986. Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 29 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for HBCU 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1980, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of HBCU was in 1980

Dictionary Entries Near HBCU

Cite this Entry

“HBCU.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/HBCU. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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