Agency Dictionary
Bachelor
nounPronunciation: /ˈbætʃ.əl.ər/
In Portuguese: Bacharelado
Creativity & LearningWhat does “Bachelor” mean?
An undergraduate academic degree awarded by universities upon completion of a collegiate course of study.
Etymology
From Old French bacheler, "young man aspiring to knighthood", from Medieval Latin baccalarius, a word of uncertain origin that seems to have named a tenant or labourer on a small holding. In the medieval universities it was applied to the student who had taken the first degree. The Latin form was later altered to baccalaureus, by a learned play on bacca lauri, "laurel berry", and from it comes baccalaureate. The senses of junior knight, holder of a first degree and unmarried man are all found in Middle English.
Usage note
The degree is written with an apostrophe in the general form (a bachelor's degree) and without it in the formal titles (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science).
Synonyms
- bachelor's degree
- baccalaureate
- undergraduate degree
- first degree
Often confused with
- single man
- English bachelor also means an unmarried man; Portuguese bacharel and bacharelado never have that sense, which is expressed by solteiro.
Word family
- baccalaureate
- bachelorhood
- bachelorette
Usage examples
How was the process of getting your bachelor's degree?
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
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