noun
Common
bachelor
BACH-uh-luh
Bachelor (noun) means a man who has never married. Example: “My uncle remained a bachelor all his life and lived happily with his dogs.”
noun
1
A man who has never married.
"My uncle remained a bachelor all his life and lived happily with his dogs."
"The village matchmaker tried to find a wife for the shy young bachelor."
"At fifty, he was still a confirmed bachelor."
2
The undergraduate degree awarded by a college or university, such as a Bachelor of Arts.
"She completed her bachelor's in psychology in three years."
3
A small self-contained apartment with no separate bedroom.
"The landlord advertised a cheap bachelor with a kitchenette in the corner."
"She moved into a bright bachelor on the third floor of the building."
"He rents a bachelor near downtown to keep costs low."
How to use bachelor
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn unmarried man, an entry-level university degree, or a small one-room apartment.
Common pairings
bachelor party
bachelor's degree
bachelor pad
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Word forms
- Plural
- bachelors
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My uncle remained a _____ all his life and lived happily with his dogs.
Etymology
From Old French bacheler, ultimately from Medieval Latin baccalarius — originally a term for a young knight or novice, later extended to unmarried men and academic degree-holders.
Synonyms
View more →
single man
unmarried man
unattached man
Rhymes for bachelor
See all rhymes for bachelor →Frequently asked questions
What does “bachelor” mean?
The word “bachelor” means a man who has never married. In plain terms, an unmarried man, an entry-level university degree, or a small one-room apartment.
How do you pronounce “bachelor”?
“Bachelor” is pronounced BACH-uh-luh (/ˈbæt͡ʃ.ə.lɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “bachelor” in a sentence?
Here is “bachelor” used in a sentence: “At fifty, he was still a confirmed bachelor.”
What part of speech is “bachelor”?
“Bachelor” is a noun.
Where does the word “bachelor” come from?
The word “bachelor” comes from Medieval Latin. From Old French bacheler, ultimately from Medieval Latin baccalarius — originally a term for a young knight or novice, later extended to unmarried men and academic degree-holders.
Is “bachelor” a common word?
“Bachelor” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “bachelor” have?
“Bachelor” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a man who has never married.
What is the difference between a bachelor and a bachelorette?
A bachelor is a man who has never married, while a bachelorette is the female equivalent, an unmarried woman. The two terms are most often paired in the phrases 'bachelor party' and 'bachelorette party', celebrations held shortly before a wedding.
What is the difference between a bachelor's degree and a master's degree?
A bachelor's degree is the undergraduate degree awarded after a typical three- or four-year university course, such as a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science. A master's degree is a higher, postgraduate qualification studied after the bachelor's has been completed.
When is 'bachelor' spelled with an apostrophe?
The apostrophe appears only in the possessive form 'bachelor's degree', where the degree belongs to the bachelor. When referring to an unmarried man, 'bachelor' takes no apostrophe.
Why is a small apartment sometimes called a bachelor?
In some regions a 'bachelor', or bachelor apartment, is a small self-contained flat with no separate bedroom, much like a studio apartment. The living, sleeping, and kitchen areas all share a single main room.
