baccalaureate

Meanings

1. A bachelor's degree.
2. A high school completion exam and qualification awarded in many countries (e.g. Finland, France, Moldova, Romania), designed to enable students to pursue higher education.
3. A farewell address in the form of a sermon delivered to a graduating class.
4. The International Baccalaureate.

Etymology

First attested in 1625; borrowed from French baccalauréat, from Medieval Latin baccalaureātus, from Medieval Latin baccalaureus, an alteration made to baccalārius (“young man aspiring to knighthood, apprentice, bachelor”) for it to resemble bacca lauri (“laurel berry”) (the ancient symbol of victory). See bachelor and -ate (forms nouns denoting rank or office).