u‧ni‧ver‧si‧ty S2 W1 /ˌjuːnəˈvɜːsəti◂, ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsəti◂ $ -ɜːr-/ noun (plural universities) [uncountable and countable]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: université, from Medieval Latin universitas, from Late Latin, 'society, association', from Latin, 'the whole', from universus; ⇒ universe]
an educational institution at the highest level, where you study for a degree
at a university
She’s at Cambridge University.
university of
the University of Texas

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

university
noun
ADJ. new | ancient | red-brick | local, provincial | research, teaching
VERB + UNIVERSITY attend, go to, study at | apply for | enter | finish (at), graduate from, leave
UNIVERSITY + NOUN lecturer, professor, staff, teacher | graduate, student, undergraduate | course, degree, education | term, year | vacation | entrance, entry, place a university entrance exam There is stiff competition for university places.
chair His aim was to finish his doctorate and obtain a university chair.
department, faculty | buildings, campus, library | administration, authorities | level All the staff are educated to university level.
days, life, years | town
PREP. at (the) ~ She's at university, studying engineering. She teaches English at the University of Wales.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

university

go to university
Her daughter was about to go to university.
be at university British English
We were at university together.
study (something) at a university
She studied law at Edinburgh University.
apply for university
I applied for university without any real idea of what I wanted to do.
start university (also enter university formal)
Some people take a year off before they start university.
leave university
Students often find work soon after leaving university.
graduate from university (=leave after getting a degree)
She graduated from Liverpool University in 2006.
drop out of university (=leave before finishing your course)
He dropped out of university in order to join a rock band.
a university course
He studied history at school and was now planning to take a university course.
a university student
Thirty years ago 33% of university students were female.
a university graduate (=someone who has completed a university course)
She is a university graduate who speaks three languages.
a university lecturer/professor
Her father was a university lecturer and her mother a teacher.
a university degree
He was a qualified engineer with a university degree.
a university education
I did not have the advantage of a university education.
a university department
one of the oldest university departments in the country
the university campus (=the area of land containing the main buildings of a university)
There were violent protests on university campuses.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

university
noun
1.
BAD: I am studying sociology at the London University.
GOOD: I am studying sociology at London University.
GOOD: I am studying sociology at the University of London.

Usage Note:
London/Leeds University (WITHOUT the )
the University of London/Leeds (WITH the )
In formal written styles the usual form is 'the University of London'.

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2.
BAD: After leaving school, we all went to the university.
GOOD: After leaving school, we all went to university.

Usage Note:
Users of American English would say: 'After graduating from high school, we all went to college.'
See note at SCHOOL 1 (school)

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3.
BAD: My sister is studying music in university.
GOOD: My sister is studying music at university.
BAD: I want to study Public Administration in the University of Southern California.
GOOD: I want to study Public Administration at the University of Southern California.

Usage Note:
See IN 5 (in)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

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.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲