noun

HBCU

AYCH-bee-see-YOO

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HBCU (noun) means a college or university in the United States that was founded before 1964 with the primary mission of educating Black Americans, at a time when most other institutions excluded them. Example: “She turned down two Ivy League offers to attend an HBCU in Atlanta.”

noun

A college or university in the United States that was founded before 1964 with the primary mission of educating Black Americans, at a time when most other institutions excluded them.

"She turned down two Ivy League offers to attend an HBCU in Atlanta."

"Howard, Spelman and Morehouse are among the best known HBCUs."

How to use HBCU

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAn American college originally set up to educate Black students.

When to use it

Neutral and standard in American education, journalism and government policy. Almost always written as the initialism rather than spelled out.

Memory tip

Take the article a, not an: a HBCU is wrong because the initialism is read aloud starting with the sound 'aych'.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

PWI (predominantly white institution) PBI (predominantly Black institution)

Common pairings

attend an HBCU HBCU graduate HBCU homecoming the nation's HBCUs

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “HBCU” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She turned down two Ivy League offers to attend an _____ in Atlanta.

Etymology

An initialism of historically black college or university.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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historically Black college historically Black university

Frequently asked questions

What does HBCU stand for?

It stands for Historically Black College or University. The term applies to US institutions established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 whose founding purpose was the education of Black students. There are just over 100 of them, mostly in the southern states.

Can non-Black students attend an HBCU?

Yes. HBCUs admit students of every race and always have, and some now enrol substantial numbers of non-Black students. The word historically refers to the reason the institution was founded, not to who may enrol today.

What is the difference between an HBCU and a PBI?

An HBCU was founded specifically to educate Black students before 1964. A PBI, or Predominantly Black Institution, is any college that simply happens to have a mostly Black student body now, regardless of when or why it was founded.

What is the meaning of HBCU?

"HBCU" (noun) means a college or university in the United States that was founded before 1964 with the primary mission of educating Black Americans, at a time when most other institutions excluded them.

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