noun
a college that offers only the first two years terminating in an associate degree
• Hypernyms: ↑college
• Hyponyms: ↑community college, ↑normal school, ↑teachers college
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noun, pl ⋯ -leges [count]
US : a school that has two years of studies similar to those in the first two years of a four-year college
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(in the US) a college that offers programmes that are two years long. Some students go to a university or a college offering four-year programmes after they have finished studying at a junior college.
Culture:
Students receive an ‘associate degree’ when they successfully complete their studies. They can then move on to a four-year college or university for a ↑bachelor's degree. Junior colleges help many students who could not otherwise go to college, because they are cheaper than other colleges and accept students with fewer qualifications.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.