学院(college)
提供後中等教育的机构。此词在使用时往往出现歧义。据罗马法载，一个collegium即是人们为发挥共同功能而组成的团体。此名为许多中世纪机构所采用，其中包括行会。中古时代晚期大部分大学都把collegium看作是一处捐赠的学生宿舍，专供攻读学士学位或其他高级学位的学生居住。学院都拥有图书馆及科学仪器，并为那些能培养学生参加学位考试的博士或导师支付固定的薪金。在英国中等教育机构（如温彻斯特和伊顿）有时也称为学院。加拿大也有学院。在美国，学院可指一个只能授予学士学位的四年制高等教育机构，也可指一所初级学院（junior college）或社区学院（community college），学制二年只有「预备学位」。四年制学院通常以大学文科或通材教育为主，而专门技术培训或职业培训则属次要。四年制学院可以是一所独立的由私人管辖的并以大学文科课程为主的教育机构，也可以是私立大学或州立大学附属的分校。
English version：
college
Institution that offers postsecondary education. The term has various meanings. In Roman law a collegium was a body of persons associated for a common function. The name was used by many medieval institutions, including guilds. In most universities of the later Middle Ages, collegium meant an endowed residence hall for university students. The colleges kept libraries and scientific instruments and offered salaries to tutors who could prepare students to be examined for degrees. Eventually few students lived outside colleges, and college teaching eclipsed university teaching. In England, secondary schools (e.g., Winchester and Eton) are sometimes called colleges. Canada also has collegiate schools. In the U.S., college may refer to a four-year institution of higher education offering a bachelor's degree, or to a two-year junior or community college with a program leading to the associate's degree. A four-year college usually emphasizes a liberal-arts or general education rather than specialized technical or vocational preparation. The four-year college may be an independent private institution or an undergraduate division of a university.