Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
verb (used with object), ma·tric·u·lat·ed, ma·tric·u·lat·ing.
- to enroll in a college or university as a candidate for a degree.
- to register (a coat of arms), used especially in Scottish heraldry.
verb (used without object), ma·tric·u·lat·ed, ma·tric·u·lat·ing.
- to be matriculated.
noun
- a person who has been matriculated.
verb (məˈtrɪkjʊˌleɪt)
- to enrol or be enrolled in an institution, esp a college or university
- (intr) to attain the academic standard required for a course at such an institution
noun (məˈtrɪkjʊlɪt)
- Also called: matriculant a person who has matriculated
1570s, “to admit a student to a college by enrolling his name on the register,” from Late Latin matriculatus, past participle of matriculare “to register,” from Latin matricula “public register,” diminutive of matrix (genitive matricis) “list, roll,” also “sources, womb” (see matrix).
The connection of senses in the Latin word seems to be via confusion of Greek metra “womb” (from meter “mother;” see mother (n.1)) and an identical but different Greek word metra meaning “register, lot” (see meter (n.2)). Evidently Latin matrix was used to translate both, though it originally shared meaning with only one. Related: Matriculated; matriculating.