graduate
GRAD-zhoo-uht
Graduate (noun) means a person who has completed a degree or course of study at a school, college, or university. Example: “She's a graduate of Oxford University.”
noun
1
A person who has completed a degree or course of study at a school, college, or university.
"She's a graduate of Oxford University."
"He's a recent high school graduate starting college in the fall."
"The company hires a graduate every year to work in its design team."
verb
1
To complete a degree or course of study and receive recognition for it.
"She graduated from law school last spring."
"He plans to graduate next year with a degree in engineering."
"My brother will graduate in July, and then he hopes to find a job abroad."
2
To gradually move up to something more advanced.
"After learning to swim in the shallow end, she graduated to the deep end."
"The apprentice graduated from sweeping the floor to cutting wood within a few months."
"After mastering simple tunes, he graduated to playing full pieces on the piano."
adjective
1
Relating to study beyond an undergraduate degree.
"He's applying to graduate school to study psychology."
"She is doing graduate research in marine biology at a large university."
"Many graduate students work as teaching assistants to help pay their fees."
How to use graduate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone who has finished a course of study, or the act of finishing one — also used for moving up to something harder or more advanced.
UK vs US
In UK English, "graduate" mainly refers to university completion; US English also uses it for finishing high school.
Common pairings
graduate from
graduate school
recent graduate
graduate to something harder
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Word forms
- Plural
- graduates
- Third person singular
- graduates
- Past tense
- graduated
- Comparative
- more graduate
- Superlative
- most graduate
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She's a _____ of Oxford University.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin graduatus ("having taken a degree"), from gradus ("step, degree").
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
student
drop-out
Related words
Rhymes for graduate
See all rhymes for graduate →Frequently asked questions
What does “graduate” mean?
The word “graduate” means a person who has completed a degree or course of study at a school, college, or university. In plain terms, someone who has finished a course of study, or the act of finishing one — also used for moving up to something harder or more advanced.
How do you pronounce “graduate”?
“Graduate” is pronounced GRAD-zhoo-uht (/ˈɡɹæd͡ʒuɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “graduate” in a sentence?
Here is “graduate” used in a sentence: “She's a graduate of Oxford University.”
What is the opposite of “graduate”?
The opposite of “graduate” — its antonyms — are student and drop-out.
What part of speech is “graduate”?
Depending on how it is used, “graduate” can be a noun, a verb and an adjective.
Where does the word “graduate” come from?
The word “graduate” comes from Medieval Latin. From Medieval Latin graduatus ("having taken a degree"), from gradus ("step, degree").
Is “graduate” a common word?
“Graduate” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “graduate” have?
“Graduate” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person who has completed a degree or course of study at a school, college, or university.
What is the difference between a graduate and an undergraduate?
An undergraduate is a student still working toward a first degree and has not finished yet. A graduate has completed that degree and holds the qualification. In everyday use, 'graduate' can also mean someone doing advanced study after a first degree, especially in American English, where 'graduate school' follows the undergraduate years.
What is the difference between a graduate and an alumnus?
A graduate is someone who has completed a degree or course. An alumnus, or alumna, is a former student of a particular institution; you are an alumnus of the school you attended, whether or not you finished. So every graduate is usually an alumnus, but not every alumnus is a graduate.
Is 'graduate' a noun or a verb?
It is both, with a slight shift in stress. As a noun, a graduate is the person who has earned the qualification. As a verb, to graduate means to complete your studies and receive that qualification. There is also an unrelated verb sense: to graduate a scale means to mark it in measured steps.
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