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.
historically Black colleges and universities
Examples of HBCU in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
Writer-director Ryan Watson’s film is set in a fictional HBCU (historically Black colleges and universities) and follows Tavon Watkins (Truitt), who joins a secret fraternity of Black martial artists after a severe hazing incident.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 2 Mar. 2026
Get caught up on the HBCU and other Georgia universities in this edition of the AJC On Campus.
—Jason Armesto, AJC.com, 2 Mar. 2026
One of the most impactful components of the HBCU model is early exposure to cultural pride, identity, purpose and opportunity.
—Dontaira Terrell, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
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Noun
According to the complaint, officials in Lower Oxford Township had previously warned the HBCU about crowd control and parking issues that prevented EMS vehicles from responding to emergencies.
—Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
Writer-director Ryan Watson’s film is set in a fictional HBCU (historically Black colleges and universities) and follows Tavon Watkins (Truitt), who joins a secret fraternity of Black martial artists after a severe hazing incident.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 2 Mar. 2026
Get caught up on the HBCU and other Georgia universities in this edition of the AJC On Campus.
—Jason Armesto, AJC.com, 2 Mar. 2026
One of the most impactful components of the HBCU model is early exposure to cultural pride, identity, purpose and opportunity.
—Dontaira Terrell, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for HBCU
Cite this Entry
“HBCU.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/HBCU. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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