campus: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to formal (primarily academic/institutional contexts)
Quick answer
What does “campus” mean?
The grounds and buildings of a university, college, or school.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The grounds and buildings of a university, college, or school.
A site or premises belonging to a specific institution, particularly in educational, corporate, or religious contexts; also used for the central, main site of an organization.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is very similar. 'Campus' is equally standard. Slight historical tendency in British English to prefer 'university grounds' or simply 'the university' for the physical space, but 'campus' is now completely established.
Connotations
In the UK, the term often connotes a modern, purpose-built university site, potentially as opposed to older, city-integrated collegiate universities (e.g., Oxford, Cambridge). In the US, it is the default, neutral term for any university/college site, old or new.
Frequency
Extremely high frequency in both, especially in academic contexts. Possibly slightly more pervasive in American English due to the prevalence of self-contained university sites.
Grammar
How to Use “campus” in a Sentence
on + campus (She lives on campus.)off + campus (He found a flat off campus.)campus + of + INSTITUTION (the campus of Stanford University)ADJECTIVE + campus (a leafy campus)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “campus” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The university is planning to campus its disparate departments into a single, modern site.
American English
- The new initiative aims to campus all first-year students in the residence halls.
adjective
British English
- Campus accommodation fills up very quickly.
- There's a lively campus atmosphere during freshers' week.
American English
- Campus housing is guaranteed for undergraduates.
- She writes for the campus newspaper.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used for the headquarters or main site of a tech or corporate company (e.g., Google's Mountain View campus).
Academic
Primary context. Refers to the physical university/college environment, its facilities, and student life.
Everyday
Common when discussing where someone studies, lives (on/off campus), or university events.
Technical
Used in urban planning or architecture to describe a site layout where buildings are grouped in a park-like setting.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “campus”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “campus”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “campus”
- Using 'in the campus' instead of the correct preposition 'on campus'.
- Using it as a countable noun for individual buildings ('He's in the science campus') instead of for the entire site ('He's on the science campus' or 'in the science building').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while its primary meaning is a university/college site, it is now widely used for the headquarters or main site of large companies (e.g., tech campuses), hospitals, and churches.
The correct preposition is almost always 'on campus' (e.g., live on campus, a restaurant on campus). 'In campus' is incorrect.
The standard plural is 'campuses'. The Latin plural 'campūs' or 'campi' is obsolete and should not be used in modern English.
Yes, but it is a specialised, low-frequency usage. It means to establish or organise in a campus-style setting, e.g., 'The new policy will campus all first-year students.'
The grounds and buildings of a university, college, or school.
Campus is usually neutral to formal (primarily academic/institutional contexts) in register.
Campus: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkæmpəs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkæmpəs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “campus legend (a famous story/myth circulating among students)”
- “big man on campus (a popular, influential student)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a university **camp** for us (**camp-us**) – a place where we live, study, and gather together.
Conceptual Metaphor
CAMPUS AS A CITY / SELF-CONTAINED WORLD (e.g., 'campus police', 'campus shuttle', 'everything you need is right here on campus').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the most common and correct usage of 'campus'?