undergraduate
Intermediate (B1)
IPA: /ˌʌndərˈɡrædʒuət/
KK: /ʌndərˈɡrædʒuɪt/
adjective
Definition
Relating to a student who is pursuing their first degree at a college or university.
Example
She is taking undergraduate courses in biology and chemistry.
Conversation
Have you checked out the undergraduate courses for next semester?
Not yet, but I heard they have some interesting options.
Yeah, I'm thinking about taking an undergraduate class in psychology.
That sounds awesome! I bet it will be really insightful.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
bachelor
preliminary
introductory
Antonyms
graduate
advanced
postgraduate
noun
Definition
A student who is studying at a college or university and has not yet earned a bachelor's degree.
Example
She is an undergraduate studying biology at the university.
Conversation
Are you excited about being an undergraduate this year?
Definitely! I can't wait to start my classes.
What do you think will be the biggest challenge as an undergraduate?
Root Explanation
Undergraduate → It is formed from "under-" (meaning beneath or lower) and "graduate" (from Latin "graduatus", meaning to step or to graduate). The term refers to a student who is in the process of earning a degree beneath the level of a graduate degree.
Memory Tip
Think of a student who is 'beneath' ('under-') the level of a 'graduate' — that's why an undergraduate is someone still working towards their degree.
Visually Confused Words
nonundergraduate
degraduate
supergraduate
ungraduated