Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense graduates, present participle graduating, past tense, past participle graduatedpronunciation note: The noun is pronounced (grædʒuət). The verb is pronounced (grædʒueɪt).
1. countable noun
In Britain, a graduate is a person who has successfully completed a degree at a university or college andhas received a certificate that shows this.
They are looking for graduates with humanities or business degrees.
...graduates in engineering. [+ in]
[Also + from/of]
2. countable noun
In the United States, a graduate is a student who has successfully completed a course at a high school, college, oruniversity.
The top one-third of all high school graduates are entitled to an education at theCalifornia State University.
3. verb
In Britain, when a student graduates from university, they have successfully completed a degree course.
She graduated in English and Drama from Manchester University. [VERB preposition]
[Also VERB]
Synonyms: qualify, pass, receive a degree More Synonyms of graduate
4. verb
In the United States, when a student graduates, they complete their studies successfully and leave their school or university. You can also say that a school or university graduates a student or students.
When the boys graduated from high school, Ann moved to a small town in Vermont. [VERB preposition]
In 1986, American universities graduated a record number of students with degreesin computer science. [VERB noun]
[Also VERB]
5. verb
If you graduatefrom one thing to another, you go from a less important job or position to a more important one.
Bruce graduated to chef at the Bear Hotel. [Vto/from n]
From commercials she quickly graduated to television shows. [V + to/from]
Synonyms: progress, advance, proceed, move on or up More Synonyms of graduate
More Synonyms of graduate
graduate in British English
noun (ˈɡrædjʊɪt)
1.
a.
a person who has been awarded a first degree from a university or college
b.
(as modifier)
a graduate profession
2. US and Canadian
a student who has completed a course of studies at a high school and received a diploma
3. US
a container, such as a flask, marked to indicate its capacity
verb (ˈɡrædjʊˌeɪt)
4.
to receive or cause to receive a degree or diploma
5. (transitive) mainly US and Canadian
to confer a degree, diploma, etc, upon
6. (transitive)
to mark (a thermometer, flask, etc) with units of measurement; calibrate
7. (transitive)
to arrange or sort into groups according to type, quality, etc
8. (intransitive; often foll byto)
to change by degrees (from something to something else)
Derived forms
graduator (ˈgraduˌator)
noun
Word origin
C15: from Medieval Latin graduārī to take a degree, from Latin gradus a step
graduate in American English
(ˈgrædʒuɪt; for v. ˈgrædʒuˌeɪt)
noun
1.
a person who has completed a course of study at a school or college and has receiveda degree or diploma
2.
a flask, tube, or other container marked with a progressive series of degrees (lines or numbers or both) for measuring liquids or solids
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈgraduˌated or ˈgraduˌating
3.
to give a degree or diploma to in recognition of the completion of a course of study at a school or college
4. Informal
to become a graduate of
to graduate college
5.
to mark (a flask, tube, gauge, etc.) with degrees for measuring
6.
a.
to arrange or classify into grades according to amount, size, etc.
b.
to arrange in grades or stages
graduated income tax
verb intransitive
7.
to become a graduate of a school or college
8.
to change, esp. advance, by degrees
adjective
9.
having been graduated from a school, college, etc.
a graduate engineer
10. US
designating, of, for, or participating in instruction or research in various fields leading to degrees above the bachelor's
graduate courses, graduate students
Derived forms
graduator (ˈgraduˌator)
noun
Word origin
< ML graduatus, pp. of graduare, to graduate < L gradus: see grade
Examples of 'graduate' in a sentence
graduate
Even graduates often have to start at the bottom.
The Sun (2012)
In other languages
graduate
British English: graduate /ˈɡrædjʊɪt/ NOUN
A graduate is a student who has completed a course at a college or university.
His parents are both university graduates.
American English: graduate
Arabic: خَرِّيج
Brazilian Portuguese: formando
Chinese: 毕业生
Croatian: diplomirani student
Czech: absolvent
Danish: kandidat
Dutch: afgestudeerde
European Spanish: titulado
Finnish: tutkinnon suorittanut
French: diplômé
German: Hochschulabsolvent
Greek: πτυχιούχος
Italian: laureato
Japanese: 大学の卒業生
Korean: 대학 졸업생
Norwegian: akademiker
Polish: absolwent
European Portuguese: licenciado
Romanian: absolvent
Russian: выпускник
Latin American Spanish: titulado
Swedish: akademiker
Thai: ผู้จบปริญญา
Turkish: üniversite mezunu
Ukrainian: випускник
Vietnamese: sinh viên đã tốt nghiệp
British English: graduate VERB
When a student graduates, they successfully complete their studies and leave their school or university.
When the boys graduated, she moved to a small, rural town.
American English: graduate
Brazilian Portuguese: graduar-se
Chinese: 毕业
European Spanish: graduarse
French: obtenir son diplôme
German: graduieren
Italian: laurearsi
Japanese: 卒業する
Korean: 졸업하다
European Portuguese: graduar-se
Latin American Spanish: recibirse
All related terms of 'graduate'
graduate nurse
a person who has graduated from an accredited school of nursing
graduate school
In the United States , a graduate school is a department in a university or college where postgraduate students are taught.
college graduate
a student who has recently graduated from college
graduate student
In the United States , a graduate student is a student with a first degree from a university who is studying or doing research at a more advanced level.
postgraduate
A postgraduate or a postgraduate student is a student with a first degree from a university who is studying or doing research at a more advanced level .
Chinese translation of 'graduate'
graduate
(nˈɡrædjuɪt; vbˈɡrædjueɪt)
n(c)
(= person with degree) 毕(畢)业(業)生 (bìyèshēng) (名, míng)
(US)
high school/elementary school graduate中学(學)/小学(學)毕(畢)业(業)生 (zhōngxué/xiǎoxué bìyèshēng) (名, míng)
vi
(from university) 毕(畢)业(業) (bìyè)
(US, from high school/elementary school etc) 毕(畢)业(業) (bìyè)
(= progress) 发(發)展 (fāzhǎn)
a philosophy graduate, a graduate in philosophy (Brit) 哲学(學)专(專)业(業)毕(畢)业(業)生 (zhéxué zhuānyè bìyèshēng)
1 (verb)
Definition
to receive a degree or diploma
She graduated in English and Drama from Manchester University.
Synonyms
qualify
I qualified as a doctor over 30 years ago.
pass
receive a degree
2 (verb)
Definition
to change by degrees
From commercials she quickly graduated to television shows.
Synonyms
progress
He progressed slowly along the coast in an easterly direction.
advance
Rebel forces are advancing on the capital.
proceed
She proceeded along the hallway.
move on or up
3 (verb)
Definition
to mark (a measuring flask or instrument) with units of measurement
The dial is graduated from 1 to 10.
Synonyms
mark off
grade
proportion
regulate
gauge
calibrate
We need to calibrate the sextants on the tankers for navigation.
measure out
4 (verb)
proposals to introduce an income tax which is graduated
Synonyms
classify
Rocks can be classified according to their mode of origin.
rank
Universities were ranked according to marks scored in seven areas.
grade
The college does not grade the children's work.
group
The fact sheets are grouped into seven sections.
order
Entries in the book are ordered alphabetically.
sort
He sorted the materials into their folders.
range
The pots are all ranged in neat rows.
arrange
He started to arrange the books in piles.
sequence
Additional synonyms
in the sense of advance
Definition
to make progress
Rebel forces are advancing on the capital.
Synonyms
progress,
proceed,
go ahead,
move up,
come forward,
go forward,
press on,
gain ground,
make inroads,
make headway,
make your way,
cover ground,
make strides,
move onward
in the sense of arrange
Definition
to put into a proper or systematic order
He started to arrange the books in piles.
Synonyms
put in order,
group,
form,
order,
sort,
class,
position,
range,
file,
rank,
line up,
organize,
set out,
sequence,
exhibit,
sort out (informal),
array,
classify,
tidy,
marshal,
align,
categorize,
systematize,
dispose,
jack up (New Zealand, informal)
in the sense of calibrate
We need to calibrate the sextants on the tankers for navigation.