noun
varsity
VAH-sih-tee
noun
1
The main sports team representing a school, college, or university, as opposed to junior or reserve teams.
"She made the varsity basketball team as a sophomore."
How to Use Varsity
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishVarsity refers to a school's top-level, main sports team.
When to use it
Mainly used in American English school and college sports; British English rarely uses this term.
Common pairings
varsity team
varsity football
make varsity
Word Forms
varsities plural
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She made the _____ basketball team as a sophomore.
Etymology
A clipped, altered form of "university," reflecting an old British pronunciation. First recorded in the mid-1600s.