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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
In Stomp the Yard, Columbus Short stars as DJ Williams, a gifted street dancer who enrolls at a fictional HBCU to start fresh after personal tragedy. Okla Jones, Essence, 16 Oct. 2025 Rapper Jeezy is set to headline the fourth annual HBCU Pop Out festival at Tennessee State University. Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 15 Oct. 2025 According to the National Center for Education Statistics, non-Black students made up 24% of HBCU enrollment in 2022, compared to 15% in 1976. Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025 The city is also hosting the HBCU Classic Weekend and Alabama State University’s homecoming weekend. Alex Lo, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“HBCU.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/HBCU. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!