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

Jalloh was taking online classes at the university at the time of the shooting. —Arkansas Online, 14 Mar. 2026

In a posting on its website, the university later said there was no longer a threat but urged the public to avoid the scene of the shooting, where emergency personnel continued to work. —N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 13 Mar. 2026

Former President Jay Hartzell established the university’s first housing endowment in late 2024 to fund scholarships aimed at making a UT education more affordable and creating more housing complexes for students. —Lily Kepner, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026

First, a deadly shooting being investigated as terrorism devastated a Virginia university in a military town. —Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 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