ETYM Old Eng. universite, Latin universitas all together, the whole, the universe, a number of persons associated into one body, a society, corporation, from universus all together, universal: cf. French université. Related to Universe.
1. A large and diverse institution of higher education created to educate for life and for a profession and to grant degrees.
2. The body of faculty and students of a university.
3. Where a seat of higher learning is housed, including administrative and living quarters as well as facilities for research and teaching.

Institution of higher learning for those who have completed primary and secondary education.
In the us there are both state universities (funded by the individual states) and private universities. The oldest universities in the us are all private: Harvard 1636, William and Mary 1693, Yale 1701, Pennsylvania 1741, and Princeton 1746. Typically, a university offers advanced degrees in addition to the four-year bachelor's degree; is made up of colleges, such as liberal arts, sciences, law, medicine; and offers special degrees such as divinity, technical, and vocational as well.