baccalaureate

noun

bac·​ca·​lau·​re·​ate ˌba-kə-ˈlȯr-ē-ət 

-ˈlär-

1

: the degree of bachelor conferred by universities and colleges

2

a

: a sermon to a graduating class

b

: the service at which this sermon is delivered

Examples of baccalaureate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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

Associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs are also critical, including community college applied baccalaureates, which are already offered in fields like artificial intelligence and biotechnology. —Shalin Jyotishi, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024

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