baccalaureate

noun

bac·​ca·​lau·​re·​ate ˌba-kə-ˈlȯr-ē-ət 

-ˈlär-

1

: the degree of bachelor conferred by universities and colleges

2

a

: a sermon to a graduating class

b

: the service at which this sermon is delivered

Examples of baccalaureate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Other states like Florida and Washington have embraced community college baccalaureate degrees and are seeing strong results — closing workforce gaps and increasing degree attainment. —Julianna M. Asperin Barnes, Oc Register, 12 Apr. 2026

House Higher Education Committee meets to discuss Senate Bill 556, which would include advanced placement and international baccalaureate fine arts courses in the calculation of grade-point averages for HOPE scholarship eligibility. —Adam Beam, AJC.com, 25 Mar. 2026

That law said community colleges can develop up to 30 bachelor’s degrees per academic year, as long as the degrees do not duplicate the baccalaureate programs of the University of California and California State University. —Cal Matters, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026

The primacy of the baccalaureate degree must be part of the conversation. —David Rosowsky, Forbes.com, 5 Jan. 2026

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

Rhymes for baccalaureate

• laureate