state university

noun

: a university maintained and administered by one of the states of the U.S. as part of the state public educational system

Examples of state university 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.
On Friday evening thousands gathered at the state university campus. Reuters, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025 Beyond the low tuition, students flock to their state universities for their urban campuses, D1 sports programs and massive, loyal alumni networks, to name just a few public school draws. Fiona Riley, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025 The number of students per faculty member at the University of Central Florida has exceeded fellow state universities for 20 years. Zoey Thomas, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2025 Anchored in community colleges and state universities, the program creates on-ramps for students who might otherwise be overlooked in traditional hiring funnels. Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 29 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for state university

Word History

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of state university was in 1785

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“State university.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/state%20university. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!