Ivy League

proper noun

An association of eight universities in the USA, known for high quality.

“Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Yale form the Ivy League.”

Similar
Harvard clipPrinceton cut

Meanings

proper nounthe Ivy League
  1. USeducationAn association of eight universities in the USA, known for high quality.First known use 1935

    Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Yale form the Ivy League.

    1 more example

    Almost as an afterthought, we’re given an origin story for Barney’s alcoholism: he was once a sober, studious, Ivy League-bound high school scholar before Homer forced a beer on him that transformed him into a drooling, slurring, out of control rampaging id.

    2012 June 3, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Mr. Plow” (season 4, episode 9; originally aired 11/19/1992)”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)
nounIvy League (plural Ivy Leagues)

plural Ivy Leagues

  1. A haircut similar to a crew cut but left long enough on top that the hair can be styled with a side part.

    Synonyms: Harvard clip, Princeton cut

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA haircut similar to a crew cut but left long enough on top that the hair can be styled with a side part.

Similar
Harvard clipPrinceton cut

Origin

From earlier Ivy colleges (1933), as Ivy League first used by AP sports editor Alan J. Gould (1935). The title became official after the formation of the athletic conference in 1954. From the tradition of Ivy Day at many older colleges and universities, where ivy is planted to honor academic excellence.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 長春藤聯盟 /长春藤联盟, 常青藤聯盟 /常青藤联盟
  • 長春藤聯盟 /长春藤联盟 (Chángchūnténg Liánméng)association
  • 常青藤聯盟 /常青藤联盟 (Chángqīngténg Liánméng)association
Dutch Ivy League
  • Ivy Leagueassociation
Finnish Ivy League, murattiliiga
  • Ivy Leagueassociation
  • murattiliigaassociation
Spanish Liga de Yedra
  • Liga de Yedraassociation
Cite this entry
APA

Ivy League. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ivy%20League

MLA

“Ivy League.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ivy%20League. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Ivy League,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ivy%20League.

Source: Ivy League on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.