diploma

noun di·plo·ma \ də-ˈplō-mə \

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

Definition of diploma

plural diplomas

1 plural also diplomata play \-mə-tə\ : an official or state document : charter

2 : a writing usually under seal conferring some honor or privilege

3 : a document bearing record of graduation from or of a degree conferred by an educational institution

See diploma defined for English-language learners

See diploma defined for kids

Examples of diploma in a Sentence

He earned his high school diploma by attending classes at night.

Recent Examples of diploma from the Web

Workers with bachelor’s degrees now outnumber workers with high-school diplomas, according to a report by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

— sarah gonser, NBC News, "Students are being prepared for jobs that no longer exist. Here's how that could change.," 12 Apr. 2018
While older whites with college diplomas have swung left by 12 points since 2016, those without bachelor’s degrees have remained solidly in the GOP’s camp.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Elderly White Voters Are Starting to Turn On the GOP," 10 Apr. 2018
The goal was to get a high school diploma and a college degree, whether or not football came with it.

— mary shannon wells, Southern Living, "Mothers of SEC Players Who Make Us Stand Up And Cheer," 7 Apr. 2018
There are also education disparities: about 23 percent of Native Americans have no high school diploma or its equivalent, versus 14 percent of Americans nationally, King says, citing census data.

— dina fine maron, Scientific American, "The Fight to Keep Tobacco Sacred," 29 Mar. 2018
Keith O’Brien earned a bachelor of science degree in chemistry and mathematics from the University of Edinburgh in 1959 and a diploma in education in 1966.

— sam roberts, BostonGlobe.com, "Keith O’Brien, 80, Scottish cardinal ousted in sex scandal," 20 Mar. 2018
Among the findings: ▪ About a third of the people polled in each study had high school diplomas or less, a third had some college, and a third had college degrees.

— glenn garvin and alex daugherty, miamiherald, "They have been smeared, glorified, made political pawns. But who are the ‘Dreamers’ really?," 9 Feb. 2018
As the Economic Policy Institute reports, in 1968 fewer than 55 percent of young black Americans had a high-school diploma while only 9 percent had graduated from college.

— vanessa bee, Daily Intelligencer, "How We Can Get a More Equal Union," 27 Mar. 2018
In 1910, just 9 percent of American youths earned a high-school diploma; by 1935, 40 percent did.

— jeffrey selingo, The Atlantic, "The Third Education Revolution," 22 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'diploma.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of diploma

Latin, passport, diploma, from Greek diplōma folded paper, passport, from diploun to double, from diploos

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1622

See Words from the same year

Other Education Terms

baccalaureate, colloquium, corequisite, dissertation, monograph, pedant, practicum, survey course, thesis

DIPLOMA Defined for English Language Learners

diploma

noun

Definition of diploma for English Language Learners

: a document which shows that a person has finished a course of study or has graduated from a school

DIPLOMA Defined for Kids

diploma

noun di·plo·ma \ də-ˈplō-mə \

Definition of diploma for Students

: a certificate that shows a person has finished a course of study or graduated from a school

Learn More about diploma

See words that rhyme with diploma Spanish Central: Translation of diploma Nglish: Translation of diploma for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of diploma for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about diploma

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diploma

Definition of diploma

Examples of diploma in a Sentence

Recent Examples of diploma from the Web

Origin and Etymology of diploma

Other Education Terms

DIPLOMA Defined for English Language Learners

diploma

Definition of diploma for English Language Learners

DIPLOMA Defined for Kids

diploma

Definition of diploma for Students

Learn More about diploma

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diploma

Definition of diploma

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Recent Examples of diploma from the Web

Origin and Etymology of diploma

Other Education Terms

DIPLOMA Defined for English Language Learners

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Definition of diploma for English Language Learners

DIPLOMA Defined for Kids

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Definition of diploma for Students

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