baccalaureate

noun

bac·ca·lau·re·ate ˌba-kə-ˈlȯr-ē-ət

-ˈlär-

: the degree of bachelor conferred by universities and colleges

: a sermon to a graduating class

: the service at which this sermon is delivered

Examples of baccalaureate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The median time to complete a research doctorate after earning a baccalaureate degree was 8.6 years, with science and engineering recipients completing in fewer years on average (8 years) than those in non-science and engineering fields (12.3 years). —

Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024 The baccalaureate majors with the largest declines in enrollment were liberal arts, general studies and humanities (-5.9%), English (-2.6%), natural resources and conservation (-1.5%), security and protective services (-.7%) and social sciences (-.3%). —

Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 The Racine school listed is Starbuck – a K-8 international baccalaureate school, with an enrollment of 509, down 26%. —

Alan J. Borsuk, Journal Sentinel, 23 Oct. 2024 For example, in 2022, MiraCosta launched the nation’s first community college baccalaureate in biomanufacturing to meet the workforce needs of Fortune 500 biotechnology giants like Pfizer, Abbott Laboratories, and Thermo Fisher Scientific. —

Shalin Jyotishi, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for baccalaureate

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin baccalaureātus, respelling (perhaps influenced by bacca laurī "laurel berry") of bacheleriātus, from bachelarius "knight lacking retainers, young clerk, person with an initial university degree" + Latin -ātus -ate entry 2 — more at bachelor entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1649, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of baccalaureate was circa 1649

See more words from the same year