Added 9 October 2026
baccalaureate
/bækəˈlɔːɹɪət/ noun
Latin root: baccalaureātus First recorded: 1625 Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about baccalaureate at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A farewell sermon to a graduating class at their commencement ceremonies.
- An academic degree conferred on someone who has successfully completed undergraduate studies.
Origin
First attested in 1625; borrowed from French baccalauréat, from Medieval Latin baccalaureātus, from Medieval Latin baccalaureus, an alteration made to baccalārius (“young man aspiring to knighthood, apprentice, bachelor”) for it to resemble bacca lauri (“laurel berry”) (the ancient symbol of victory). See bachelor and -ate (forms nouns denoting rank or office).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)