Bachelor

Pronunciation

• US IPA: /ˈbætʃ.É™.lÉš/, /ˈbætʃ.lÉš/
• UK IPA: /ˈbætʃ.É™.lÉ™(ɹ)/

Alternative forms

• bachelour obsolete

Origin

Middle English bacheler, from Anglo-Norman bacheler (modern French bachelier), from Medieval Latin baccalāris (compare Tuscan bacalaro ‘squire’), of unknown origin.

Full definition of bachelor

Noun

1. A man who is socially regarded as able to marry, but has not yet.
• Washington IrvingAs merry and mellow an old bachelor as ever followed a hound.
2. (bachelor's degree)The first or lowest academical degree conferred by universities and colleges; a bachelor's degree.
3. (graduate)Someone who has achieved a bachelor's degree.
4. (Canada) A bachelor apartment.
5. (obsolete) An unmarried woman.
6. (obsolete) A knight who had no standard of his own, but fought under the standard of another in the field.
7. (obsolete) Among London tradesmen, a junior member not yet admitted to wear the livery.
8. A kind of bass, an edible freshwater fish (Pomoxys annularis) of the southern United States.

Synonyms

• (academic degree) baccalaureate

Derived terms

• confirmed bachelor
• bachelordom
• bachelorette North America
• bachelorhood
• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Science
• bachelor pad
• bachelor party
• bachelorship
• bachelor's button
• bachelor's degree