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
Essence, 8 Dec. 2025
This marks the second time Scott has donated to the first-degree-granting HBCU.
—Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
The vision of Workman and his wife, Monique Rocchild, will come to fruition this weekend with the inaugural HBCU Hoops Invitational, which will be held at the State Farm Field House located at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort starting Thursday.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 3 Dec. 2025
Other efforts to combat stigma include AIDS United's Melanated Movement, which supports young women leading educational programs on HBCU campuses.
—David Oliver, USA Today, 1 Dec. 2025
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Noun
Outside of the Saturday football showdown, Bayou Classic fans also get to experience other facets of the ultimate HBCU experience.
—Essence, 8 Dec. 2025
This marks the second time Scott has donated to the first-degree-granting HBCU.
—Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
The vision of Workman and his wife, Monique Rocchild, will come to fruition this weekend with the inaugural HBCU Hoops Invitational, which will be held at the State Farm Field House located at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort starting Thursday.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 3 Dec. 2025
Other efforts to combat stigma include AIDS United's Melanated Movement, which supports young women leading educational programs on HBCU campuses.
—David Oliver, USA Today, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for HBCU
Cite this Entry
“HBCU.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/HBCU. Accessed 14 Dec. 2025.
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