I. grad ‧ u ‧ ate 1 /ˈɡrædʒuət, ˈɡrædʒuɪt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: Medieval Latin ; Origin: graduatus , from Latin gradus ; ⇨ ↑ grade 1 ]
1 . someone who has completed a university degree, especially a first degree ⇨ undergraduate :
a Harvard graduate
graduate of
a graduate of Edinburgh University
university graduates
a history graduate
graduate in
He’s a graduate in philosophy.
2 . American English someone who has completed a course at a college, school etc:
a high-school graduate
II. grad ‧ u ‧ ate 2 /ˈɡrædʒueɪt/ BrE AmE verb
1 . [intransitive] to obtain a degree, especially a first degree, from a college or university
graduate from
Kate graduated from medical school last year.
graduate in
He graduated in physics from Cambridge University.
2 . [intransitive] American English to complete your education at ↑ high school
graduate from
Jerry graduated from high school last year.
3 . graduate (from something) to something to start doing something that is bigger, better, or more important SYN progress :
As an actress she has graduated from small roles to more substantial parts.
4 . [transitive] especially American English to give a degree or ↑ diploma to someone who has completed a course
• • •
THESAURUS
■ to leave school/college etc
▪ leave especially British English to finish studying at school or college, usually at the age or time when people normally finish:
When James left school, he worked for a while with his father.
|
She found it hard to get a job after leaving university.
▪ graduate to successfully finish your studies at a college or university, or at an American high school:
Kelly graduated from Harvard with a degree in East Asian Studies.
|
Approximately 80% of Americans graduate from high school.
▪ drop out to leave school, college, or university before your course of study has finished, because you do not want to continue with it:
I failed my first year exams and decided to drop out and get a job.
▪ quit American English to leave school without finishing your course of study:
He quit school at fourteen to work and help support his family.
III. grad ‧ u ‧ ate 3 /ˈɡrædʒuət, ˈɡrædʒuɪt/ BrE AmE adjective
[only before noun] especially American English relating to or involved in studies done at a university after completing a first degree ⇨ undergraduate SYN postgraduate British English :
a graduate student