college

noun

col·​lege ˈkä-lij 

often attributive

1

: a body of clergy living together and supported by a foundation

2

: a building used for an educational or religious purpose

3

a

: a self-governing constituent body of a university offering living quarters and sometimes instruction but not granting degrees

Balliol and Magdalen Colleges at Oxford

called also residential college

b

: a preparatory or high school

c

: an independent institution of higher learning offering a course of general studies leading to a bachelor's degree

a liberal arts college

also : a university division offering this

d

: a part of a university offering a specialized group of courses

the university's college of pharmacy

e

: an institution offering instruction usually in a professional, vocational, or technical field

business college

an embalming college

4

: company, group

specifically : an organized body of persons engaged in a common pursuit or having common interests or duties

a college of cardinals serving as papal councillors and electors

5

a

: a group of persons considered by law to be a unit

b

: a body of electors compare electoral college

6

: the faculty, students, or administration of a college

The college was at the football game in force.

Synonyms

• association
• board
• brotherhood
• chamber
• club
• congress
• consortium
• council
• fellowship
• fraternity
• guild
• gild
• institute
• institution
• league
• order
• organization
• society
• sodality

Examples of college in a Sentence

She teaches art at a local college.

He graduated from one of the country's best colleges.

She attended a business college.

He attended college for several years, but didn't graduate.

She dropped out of college.

I went to Mount Holyoke College.

When I was a junior in college, I spent a semester in Spain.

the Edinburgh College of Art

the London College of Fashion

She is attending fashion college.

Recent Examples on the Web

The college student, however, had to have a chat with her dad about using her in his material now that she’s grown up. —Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 26 Apr. 2024

Far-right paints campus protests as terrorism As protests broke out on college campuses across the country, influencers and politicians on the far-right began to portray the protestors as violent, dangerous and intent on taking over the country. —Will Carless, USA TODAY, 26 Apr. 2024

Pro-Palestinian encampments and protests have spread across college campuses. —Defne Karabatur, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2024

Then there was the President of Columbia University, Dr. Nemat Shafik, who finally deigned to appear last Wednesday before the House Committee investigating the virulent antisemitism surging on college campuses. —Jeff Robbins, Orange County Register, 26 Apr. 2024

The draft that fans watched on television, with top college players walking onstage when their names were called, was held in a theater on Michigan Avenue. —Ken Belson, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2024

From college radio stations in 1996 to Epitaph and MTV in the 2000s, Atmosphere heralded the wave of introspective underground rap. —Alessandro Corona, The Enquirer, 25 Apr. 2024

In a question about using his his college email to campaign, an apparent violation of the state’s election code, Hidalgo brought up homestead exemptions claimed by Crutchfield. —Noah Alcala Bach, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Apr. 2024

The Saturday of a Coachella weekend is a lot like junior year of college. —Paul Albani-Burgio, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin collegium society, from collega colleague — more at colleague

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing college

• apply for college
• college/student deferment
• college try
• community college
• cow college
• electoral college
• give it the old college try
• junior college
• pre-college
• residential college
• sixth form college
• state college
• sub-college
• teachers college
• training college

Kids Definition

college

noun

col·​lege ˈkäl-ij 

1

: a building used for an educational or religious purpose

2

a

: a self-governing body of a university offering living quarters and instruction but not granting degrees

Balliol College at Oxford

b

: a school higher than a high school

c

: an independent institution offering a course of general studies leading to a bachelor's degree

also : a university division offering this

3

: an organized body of persons having common interests or duties

the college of cardinals