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

In 2009 Swift made a surprise visit to the KU campus to visit her bestie, then a freshman from Tennessee on the university’s swim team. —Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 20 June 2026

An exoplanet is usually between 1,000 and 2,000 degrees, according to the university. —Kierra Frazier, CBS News, 19 June 2026

The family’s 10-day vacation to the United States was meant to celebrate Romanch’s recent high school graduation and acceptance to a university in India. —Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 19 June 2026

Institutions are often collaborating with other universities, cities, and organizations, a process that takes weeks or months. —Lauren Chan, STAT, 19 June 2026

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

Rhymes for university

• adversity
• diversity
• perversity
• biodiversity
• polydispersity

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