Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
weeder course

weeder course

8.2
A hard class that many students fail, making some leave the program
  • noun
  • Jargon
translation icon : curso de eliminación
  • The biology department is known for its tough weeder course that only half the class passes.

Examples

  • If you can't pass the weeder course, you have to change your major.

  • Many students struggle with the weeder course in their first year of engineering.

  • The weeder course helped filter out students who weren't ready for advanced studies.

  • Many students find the weeder courses challenging and stressful.

  • Many students struggle with the weeder course in their first year of nursing.

  • The biology department is known for its tough weeder course that only half the students pass.

  • If you can't pass the weeder course, you might not continue in the program.

How Selective

weeder course
  • Jargon
8.2
preliminary exam
  • Specialized
1 4.9
101
1 3.9

Surface Forms

weeder course singular
weeder courses plural

Morphology

weeder + course

The phrase builds on the verb 'weed' (to remove unwanted things) with an agentive form 'weeder' to mean a course that 'weeds out' students, so the meaning is a metaphorical extension of a clear verb. However, 'weeder' as a noun is uncommon and the transfer from gardening to student-selection is not fully literal or predictable for a B1 learner, making the relation only partially transparent.

Etymology

Weeder course comes from a gardening image: a weeder pulls out weak plants so only the strong ones stay in the garden. That's why a weeder course is a class meant to 'weed out' students who are not ready.