university

noun

uni·​ver·​si·​ty ˌyü-nə-ˈvər-sə-tē 

-ˈvər-stē

plural universities

1

: an institution of higher learning providing facilities for teaching and research and authorized to grant academic degrees

specifically : one made up of an undergraduate division which confers bachelor's degrees and a graduate division which comprises a graduate school and professional schools each of which may confer master's degrees and doctorates

2

: the physical plant of a university

Examples of university in a Sentence

I applied to several public universities.

He lives near the university.

Recent Examples on the Web

Witnesses described the bloody scene and their frustration at the university in the aftermath. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024

Avery got her start in journalism while attending university, writing for the school newspaper and editing the student non-fiction magazine. —Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2024

Can the party of the universities, the affluent suburbs and the hipster urban cores do this? —David Brooks, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024

Also on the ballot are two Michigan Supreme Court seats and board seats for three public universities and the State Board of Education, plus a number of significant local races around the state. —Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 6 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English universite, from Anglo-French université, from Medieval Latin universitat-, universitas, from Latin universus

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing university

• anti-university
• go to university
• inter-university
• pre-university
• state university

Kids Definition

university

noun

uni·​ver·​si·​ty ˌyü-nə-ˈvər-sət-ē 

-ˈvər-stē

plural universities

: a school that offers courses leading to a degree (as a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree) and where research is done