bachelor

Everyday

1. A man who is not married and never has been. tree →
2. (school) A first university degree, such as a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc). tree →
3. (informal) A bachelor pad is a flat where an unmarried man lives. tree →

In the lessons

Used in everyday talk about family and adult life, and in talk about university (a bachelor's degree). In stories, a bachelor uncle often lives alone. Phrases: bachelor's degree, Bachelor of Science, a confirmed bachelor, bachelor party (US).

Examples

• My uncle is a bachelor who lives with three cats. tree →
• My sister is studying for a bachelor's degree in science. tree →
• She has a Bachelor of Arts in history. tree →
• The prince was the most famous bachelor in the land. tree →
• The bachelor finally married at fifty. tree →
• Dad's friends threw him a bachelor party before the wedding. tree →
• A bachelor's degree usually takes three or four years. tree →
• And the butterfly became what is called an old bachelor. tree →

Note

Spelling trap: bachelor has no t (not "batchelor"). For a woman, the old word was spinster, now rarely used; people just say "single". The degree is spelled with an apostrophe: bachelor's degree.