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student center

student center

3 2.1
A building on campus where students meet, relax, and take part in activities
  • noun
  • /ˈstudənt ˈsɛntər/
  • US
translation icon : centro estudiantil
  • The student center at our university organizes various events for all students to enjoy.

Examples

  • The participants paid visits to the dormitory, the student center, department offices, labs, and classrooms to get in touch with students.

    Academic text (2012)
  • The LBJ student center is often host to a variety of events and programs.

    Blog text (10)
  • " One of the students asked a tour guide, 'Where is your student center?'

    Blog text (26)
  • The majority of resources and employment opportunities I found were through my abroad school's international student center.

    Blog text (22)
  • Many universities have student centers that help aid the life of students on campus.

    Academic text (2005)
  • The cocktail party was in the student center commons, halfway across the campus.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • In the final week, the young scholars ate lunch at the student center and were given a brief tour of the undergraduate library before heading to the computer lab on the first floor.

    Academic text (2014)
  • The student center was filled with students who ranged from beginners to experienced dancers.

    Blog text (24)
  • Leitner and her friends baked 500 cupcakes and passed them out at the campus student center.

    Blog text (26)
  • On Monday evening, Gregg wandered over to the cafeteria at the student center.

    Fiction book (1992)

Synonyms

student union
vsstudent center
8 2.1

A building on campus where students meet for events and social activities

is broader, covering a building or an open area for campus gatherings

How Social

student center
  • US
3 2.1
cafe
206 1.0
study
201 1.1

Surface Forms

Morphology

student + center

The meaning 'a building or area for students to gather' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'student' (someone engaged in learning) with 'center' (a place providing a specific service). This noun+noun composition (X center = a center for X) is a common, cross-linguistic pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Student center comes from a simple, literal image: a place at the center of campus where students meet to eat, study, and relax. So, it means 'a building or area where students gather and join activities'.