undergraduate
UK: ˌʌndəˈɡradʒuət | US: ˌʌndərˈɡrædʒuət
n. a university student who has not yet earned a bachelor's or equivalent degree
n. (attributive) relating to studies or students at this level (e.g., undergraduate courses)
undergraduate = under<below> + graduate<one who has earned a degree>
- under (from Old English under, meaning "beneath" or "below")
- graduate (from Latin graduatus, past participle of graduari "to take a degree," from gradus "step, degree")
Etymology Origin:
The term emerged in early 17th-century English, combining under (suggesting incompleteness) with graduate (a degree-holder). It originally distinguished students still progressing toward their first degree (under the level of graduation) from those who had completed it. The morphemes reflect a literal hierarchy in academic advancement.
She worked part-time while pursuing her undergraduate degree in biology.
Undergraduate students must complete core requirements before declaring a major.
The university offers scholarships for outstanding undergraduate applicants.
His research project was published in an undergraduate journal.
The lecture hall was filled with eager undergraduate freshmen.