Noun

Singular college

Plural colleges

college (plural colleges)

1. An institution of [further education] at an intermediate level (in the UK, typically teaching those aged 16 to 19); sixth form.
2. An institution for adult education at a basic or intermediate level (teaching those of any age).
3. (British, in the names of private schools) A secondary school (Eton College).
4. A non-specialized, semi-autonomous division of a university, with its own faculty, departments, library, etc (Pembroke College, Cambridge; Balliol College, Oxford; University College London).
5. (Australian) A residential hall of a university, which may be independent or have its own tutors but is not involved in teaching.
6. (Loosely) Any institution of higher education.
7. (US) An institution of higher education teaching undergraduates and/or graduates. Nearly synonymous with university, with less emphasis on research and may, or may not, have graduate or doctoral programs.
8. (US) A specialized division of a university (College of Engineering).

Derived terms

• electoral college
• community college
• junior college

Related terms

• collegiate
• university

College (Latin: collegium) is a term most often used today to denote degree awarding tertiary educational institution. More broadly, it can be the name of any group of colleagues, for example, an electoral college, a College of Arms or the College of Cardinals. Originally, it meant a group of persons living together, under a common set of rules (con- = "together" + leg- = "law" or lego = "I choose"); indeed, some colleges call their members "fellows". The precise usage of the term varies among the English-speaking countries. In the United States and Ireland, for example, the terms 'college' and 'university' may be regarded as loosely interchangeable, whereas in the United Kingdom, Australia and other Commonwealth countries, a 'college' is usually an institution between school and university level (although constituent schools within universities are also known as 'colleges').