campus
KAM-puhs/ˈkæmpəs/
- 1The land and buildings belonging to a school, college, hospital, or similar place.
Like a small town that belongs to one school or company.
The new students explored the campus on their first day.
Our college campus has three libraries and a small lake.
UsageSay on campus: she lives on campus.
Note
- 2A college or university and the way of life that goes with it.
Like how 'home' means both a place and the feeling of living there.
After college, he missed campus life, with all its parties and late-night talks.
Life on campus changed her completely.
Similarcollege, university
Less common meanings
- 3To make a student stay on school grounds as a punishment.
A secondary punishment was ‘campussing’, or confinement to a campus; and for the most trivial offences the treatment was a withering harangue from Mrs Wilmington, sometimes lasting for over an hour.
1955, The Twentieth Century - 4To climb using only your hands and no feet, often on a special training board.
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Origin
It comes from the Latin word "campus," meaning "field." It was first used in its modern sense for Princeton University in the 1770s.
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts
- Campus comes from Latin campus, meaning "field". en.wiktionary.org
- Campus was first used in its modern college sense in reference to Princeton University in the 1770s. en.wiktionary.org