varsity

noun

var·​si·​ty ˈvär-sə-tē 

-stē

plural varsities

1

a

: the principal squad representing a university, college, school, or club especially in a sport

b

: regular sense 1c

2

British : university

Examples of varsity in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Jayson, who also played for Blizzard, a club team, made varsity his junior year and ended up pitching the entire season, Jay Pernu said. —Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 16 June 2024

Got varsity snaps as an eighth grader, but really made a name for himself as a sophomore in one of Florida’s higher classifications. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 3 July 2024

In May 2020, a partnership between RCX and the National Athletic Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) was made to offer flag football as a varsity sport at a collegiate level. —Eric Guzmán, Detroit Free Press, 2 July 2024

Benton said the Bruins will remain selective, the recruiting staff poring over footage of 12 to 14 varsity games while deciding whom to recruit. —Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

by shortening from university (with regular late Middle English opening of tautosyllabic er to ar)

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing varsity

• junior varsity

Kids Definition

varsity

noun

var·​si·​ty ˈvär-sət-ē 

-stē

plural varsities

: the main team representing a college, school, or club in contests

Etymology

an altered form of versity, itself an old, shortened form of university