Baccalaureate

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Baccalaureate \Bac"ca*lau"re*ate\, n. [NL. baccalaureatus, fr.
     LL. baccalaureus a bachelor of arts, fr. baccalarius, but as
     if fr. L. bacca lauri bayberry, from the practice of the
     bachelor's wearing a garland of bayberries. See {Bachelor}.]
     1. The degree of bachelor of arts (B.A. or A.B.), the first
        or lowest academical degree conferred by universities and


        colleges.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A baccalaureate sermon. [U.S.]
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Baccalaureate \Bac`ca*lau"re*ate\, a.
     Pertaining to a bachelor of arts.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     {Baccalaureate sermon}, in some American colleges, a sermon
        delivered as a farewell discourse to a graduating class.
        [1913 Webster] Baccara

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  baccalaureate
       n 1: a farewell sermon to a graduating class at their
            commencement ceremonies
       2: an academic degree conferred on someone who has successfully
          completed undergraduate studies [syn: {bachelor's degree}]