universities Definition

university
noun universities

1. A higher education institution with the authority to award degrees at bachelor, master and doctoral level (traditionally in academic, non-vocational subjects but now also in technical and vocational areas) and usually having research facilities.

Thesaurus: college, academy, educational institution, school (US), institute, institution of higher learning, varsity, academia, Athenaeum.
2. The buildings, staff or students of such an institution. Sometimes (colloq) shortened to uni.

Derivative: universitarian
adj

Etymology: 14c: from French université, from Latin universitas the whole, the entire number, the universe, and (in later and medieval Latin) a society or guild, from universus; see universe.