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undergraduate

n. · adj.
US //ˌəndɝˈɡɹædʒəwət// UK //ˌʌndəɡɹˈædjuːət// un·der·grad·u·ate
  1. 1 university student (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    a student who is studying for their first university degree.

    a student at a higher education institution who is pursuing a first degree, typically a Bachelor's degree.

    Example

    The university has over twenty thousand undergraduates studying everything from art to science.

    Example

    As an undergraduate, she spent most of her time in the library researching historical linguistics for her final dissertation.

    Usage

    Often shortened to 'undergrad' in informal speech.

    Teacher's tip

    In American English, students are often called 'freshmen', 'sophomores', 'juniors', or 'seniors' depending on their year of undergraduate study.
  2. 2 relating to first degrees (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    describing things related to students who are studying for their first degree.

    relating to or being an undergraduate student or the level of study leading to a first degree.

    Example

    He is currently taking an undergraduate course in psychology.

    Example

    The department offers several undergraduate programmes, though the most competitive is the dual-degree in law and economics.

    Usage

    Usually placed before a noun.
Origin

From under- + graduate.

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