university

noun

uni·​ver·​si·​ty ˌyü-nə-ˈvər-sə-tē 

-ˈvər-stē

plural universities

1

: an institution of higher learning providing facilities for teaching and research and authorized to grant academic degrees

specifically : one made up of an undergraduate division which confers bachelor's degrees and a graduate division which comprises a graduate school and professional schools each of which may confer master's degrees and doctorates

2

: the physical plant of a university

Examples of university in a Sentence

I applied to several public universities.

He lives near the university.

Recent Examples on the Web

Fifty-year-old Daniel Taylor, a professor of marketing and supply chain management at the university’s Rawls College of Business, faces a charge of conspiracy to distribute or possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, according to the statement. —Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Feb. 2026

Hospitals and emergency rooms remained open, and patients there were receiving proper care, the university said in the statement. —Arkansas Online, 21 Feb. 2026

For example, universities can conduct background checks on potential donors. —Brian Herman, Fortune, 20 Feb. 2026

Earlier in the week, an Indian university was reportedly asked to leave the summit after a staff member passed off a robotic dog developed by Chinese company Unitree as one the university had developed. —Jared Perlo, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English universite, from Anglo-French université, from Medieval Latin universitat-, universitas, from Latin universus

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing university

• anti-university
• go to university
• inter-university
• pre-university
• state university

Rhymes for university

• adversity
• diversity
• perversity
• biodiversity
• polydispersity

Kids Definition

university

noun

uni·​ver·​si·​ty ˌyü-nə-ˈvər-sət-ē 

-ˈvər-stē

plural universities

: a school that offers courses leading to a degree (as a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree) and where research is done