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.

HBCU

2 of 2

abbreviation

historically Black colleges and universities

Examples of HBCU in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Just like in the 1987 edition, the fresh take is set at the fictional HBCU Hillman College. Jack Dunn, Variety, 12 Mar. 2026 The original series ran for six seasons on NBC from 1987 to 1993, and grew into an unprecedented TV depiction of life and culture on HBCU campuses. Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026 Allen, however, remains a big believer in pay-TV and streaming, owing The Weather Channel, some local broadcast TV stations and streaming platforms like HBCU Go. Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 11 Mar. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for HBCU

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1980, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of HBCU was in 1980

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Cite this Entry

“HBCU.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/HBCU. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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