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higher

higher

3.3
Study at colleges or universities after high school
  • adjective
  • /ˈhaɪər/
translation icon : superior
  • Many students aspire to pursue higher education to gain specialized knowledge and skills.
  • higher education

Examples

  • WITH NO PLANS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, NO CHANCE OF SURVIVAL ON YOUR OWN.

  • THE PERCEPTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION

    Academic text (2002)
  • THE PRICE OF HIGHER EDUCATION

    Academic text (2006)
  • THE GOALS OF HIGHER EDUCATION: MORE THAN RETENTION AND COMFORT?

    Academic text (2005)
  • HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF DISABILITIES WITHIN HIGHER EDUCATION

    Academic text (2014)
  • EXTERNAL PRESSURES ON HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

    Academic text (2005)
  • INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT AND 21ST CENTURY HIGHER EDUCATION

    Academic text (2006)
  • KNOWLEDGE IN THE SERVICE OF THE STATE: POLITICIZED HIGHER EDUCATION IN POST-REVOLUTIONARY IRAQ

    Academic text (2004)
  • HIGHER EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT

    Academic text (1993)
  • CROSS-BORDER HIGHER EDUCATION

    Academic text (2006)

Synonyms

postsecondary
vshigher
3 3.7

Relating to education after high school, like college or university

has identical meaning but is a different term form

Idioms

3 3.2

At or towards a place above something

Compounds

Education at colleges or universities after secondary school that gives degrees

Having more power than other people in an organization

6 3.9

A position with more authority and status than others in a group

higher-up
  • Informal
4 4.2

A person with more power in a company or group

higher law
  • Formal
1 8.4

A moral rule that is more important than rules made by the government

1 9.5

A study by experts of Bible texts to find who wrote them and when

7.7

Thinking that uses what you have learned to reason, plan, or solve problems

A college qualification that teaches practical skills for work, usually taking two years

Surface Forms

higher comparative
highest superlative

Morphology

higher = high (transparent) = high + er

The meaning of 'higher' is directly derived from 'high' with the comparative suffix '-er'.

Etymology

Higher is made from high plus the ending -er, which means 'more' or 'above'. So higher education is learning that comes 'above' high school, like college or university.