# collegiate

/kəˈɫidʒɪt/ (US) · /kəlˈiːdʒɪət/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/collegiate
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. related to college

adjective · CEFR B2

relating to a college or its students.

For teachers: pertaining to a college, its students, or the university experience.

- The town has a very collegiate atmosphere because of the large university nearby.
- The university's collegiate sports program receives significant funding from alumni who wish to maintain the institution's competitive edge.

### 2. collaborative

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

describing a way of working where everyone shares power and works together as equals.

For teachers: characterised by the collective responsibility and shared authority of colleagues; synonymous with collegial.

- The professors enjoyed a collegiate environment where they could easily share research ideas.
- The department head fostered a collegiate culture, ensuring that even junior faculty members had a voice in major curriculum decisions.

Usage: Often used in professional or academic settings to describe a non-hierarchical management style.

### 3. a high school

noun · CEFR B2 · American English · Dialect

a name used for some high schools in Canada.

For teachers: a secondary school, typically one that focuses on academic subjects in preparation for university.

- She graduated from the local collegiate before moving away for university.
- The city's oldest collegiate institute recently celebrated its centennial, highlighting a long history of academic excellence in the province.

Teaching tip: This usage is specific to certain regions in Canada; in the US and UK, 'collegiate' is almost exclusively an adjective.

## Examples

- The collegiate atmosphere on campus was very friendly.
- Students joined the collegiate rowing team to build trust and work together.
- The collegiate system of governance allows faculty members to share decision-making power with the administration.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.