baccalaureate

noun

bac·ca·lau·re·ate ˌba-kə-ˈlȯr-ē-ət

-ˈlär-

: the degree of bachelor conferred by universities and colleges

: a sermon to a graduating class

: the service at which this sermon is delivered

Examples of baccalaureate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The guidelines addressed topics such as student prayer and religious discussion, graduation prayer and baccalaureates, student assignments, religious literature, and the teaching of values. —

Gregory J Rummo, Sun Sentinel, 14 July 2024 The scholarship is for full-time undergraduate students leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university. —

Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2024 Another teacher is Becky Villagran, a 41-year-old who has worked at Berkeley High for a dozen years and currently leads the history department in the school’s international baccalaureate program. —

Kurt Streeter, New York Times, 7 May 2024 After receiving an international baccalaureate degree from B.D. Somani International School in Mumbai, Merchant, 29, graduated from New York University in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in political science, according to her LinkedIn profile. —

Cailey Gleeson, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for baccalaureate

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'baccalaureate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin baccalaureātus, respelling (perhaps influenced by bacca laurī "laurel berry") of bacheleriātus, from bachelarius "knight lacking retainers, young clerk, person with an initial university degree" + Latin -ātus -ate entry 2 — more at bachelor entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1649, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of baccalaureate was circa 1649

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