col ‧ lege S1 W2 /ˈkɒlɪdʒ $ ˈkɑː-/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: Latin collegium 'society' , from collega ; ⇨ ↑ colleague ]
1 . SPECIALIZED EDUCATION [uncountable and countable] a school for advanced education, especially in a particular profession or skill:
a teacher training college
Donna left school and went to art college.
college of
the London College of Fashion
at college
We were great friends when we were at college.
2 . US UNIVERSITY [uncountable and countable] American English a large school where you can study after ↑ high school and get a degree SYN university British English :
Some people who want to go to college still can’t get there.
in college
Fran just finished her freshman year in college.
a decline in the number of college students studying history
college graduates
a college education
college campuses
⇨ ↑ community college , ↑ junior college
3 . PART OF A UNIVERSITY [countable] one of the groups of teachers and students that form a separate part of some universities, especially in Britain:
Trinity College, Cambridge
4 . STUDENTS AND TEACHERS [ countable also + plural verb British English ] the students and teachers of one of these organizations
5 . PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION [countable] a group of people who have special rights, duties, or powers within a profession or organization:
the American College of Surgeons
6 . NAME OF A SCHOOL [countable] British English a word used in the name of some large schools, especially ↑ public school s
⇨ ↑ electoral college
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ go to (a) college
After university I went to drama college for a year.
▪ attend (a) college formal
He was the first person in his family to attend college.
▪ finish (at) college
What are you going to do when you finish art college?
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + college
▪ an art/music/drama college
The Music College was founded in 1869.
▪ an agricultural/secretarial/technical etc college
I wanted a job in farm management so I went to agricultural college.
▪ a teacher training college (=where you learn to be a teacher)
▪ a military college (=where you learn to be an officer in the army)
▪ a Further Education/FE college British English (=where adults can go to study, especially part-time)
▪ a tutorial college British English (=where you can have private or small group lessons)
▪ a sixth form college British English (=where students in Britain can go at 16, instead of a school)
■ nouns
▪ a college student/teacher/lecturer
a sixth-form college student
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ university a place where you can study a subject at a high level to get a degree:
Harvard University
|
About a third of the pupils go on to university.
▪ college in Britain, a place where you can study after you finish secondary school, especially to train for a job. In the US, a place where you can study and get a bachelor’s degree:
She’s at teacher training college.
|
the Royal College of Music
|
Where did you go to college?
▪ community college ( also junior college ) American English a school that students can go to for two years in order to learn a skill or prepare for university:
Community colleges can provide job-specific training.
▪ graduate school a college or university where you can study for a master’s degree or a doctorate, after receiving your first degree:
I taught for a few years, and then went back to graduate school.