baccalaureate

UK: /bækəˈlɔːriət/

US: /ˌbækəˈlɔriɪt, -ˈlɑr-/

US: (bak′ə lôr′ē it, -lor′-)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

bac•ca•lau•re•ate /ˌbækəˈlɔriɪt, -ˈlɑr-/   n. 

1. Education bachelor's degree.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

bac•ca•lau•re•ate  (bak′ə lôr′ē it, -lor′-), n. 

1. Education See bachelor's degree. 
2. a religious service held at an educational institution, usually on the Sunday before commencement day.
3. Education See baccalaureate sermon. 

• Medieval Latin baccalaureātus, equivalent. to baccalaure(us) advanced student, bachelor (for baccalārius (see bachelor), alteration by association with Latin phrase bacca laureus laurel berry) + -ātus -ate¹
• 1615–25

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

baccalaureate / ˌbækəˈlɔːrɪɪt/ noun

1. the university degree of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, etc

Etymology: 17th Century: from Medieval Latin baccalaureātus, from baccalaureus advanced student, alteration of baccalārius bachelor; influenced in folk etymology by Latin bāca berry + laureus laurel