uni
gb/jˈuni/ us/jˈuni/
B1
English
~ 9100
egyetem, tengeri sün ikrája, uni, mez, egyenruha, szerelés
NOUN
B1
INFORMAL
1
egyetem
A2
Usage pattern:
[someone] goes to uni
She’s hoping to get into uni in London next year.
Reméli, hogy jövőre felveszik egy londoni egyetemre.
I met my best friends at uni.
Az egyetemen ismertem meg a legjobb barátaimat.
After finishing uni, he moved back home for a while.
My brother dropped out of uni in his second year.
Most of my flatmates are first-year uni students.
Learner examples
I want to go to uni after school.
Középiskola után egyetemre szeretnék menni.
My sister is at uni in Sydney.
A nővérem Sydneyben jár egyetemre.
He will start uni in September.
She met her boyfriend at uni.
After uni, I need to find a job.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes write “Uni” with a capital letter in general statements (e.g., “I go to Uni”), but it is usually written with a small letter unless it is part of a name. Many learners also overuse “uni” in formal writing where “university” is preferred, and some confuse it with the combining form “uni-” meaning “one”.
Meaning
informal short form of university
Collocations
go to uni
|start uni
|be at uni
|finish uni
|drop out of uni
|uni student
Synonyms
university (Full, neutral word; used in all English varieties and in formal writing, while “uni” is more casual and mainly British/Australian.)
Antonyms
workplace (Refers to a place where people work rather than study; often seen as the opposite life stage to being at uni.)
Themes
education
|daily life
|communication
Definition
A short, casual word that means “university”.
An informal way of saying or writing “university”, used especially in British and Australian English.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
2
uni
C2
Usage pattern:
[someone] orders uni
We ordered a plate of fresh uni at the sushi bar.
A szusibárban rendeltünk egy adag friss tengerisün-ikrát.
The chef recommended the uni nigiri because it had just arrived that morning.
A séf a tengeri sün ikrájával készült nigirit ajánlotta, mert a friss alapanyag aznap reggel érkezett.
She loves the creamy texture of uni but her friend finds it too strong.
This restaurant is famous for its uni pasta.
If you like rich seafood flavors, you should try uni at least once.
Learner examples
I tried uni sushi for the first time.
Először kóstoltam tengeri sün ikrájából készült szusit.
He does not like the strong taste of uni.
Nem szereti a tengeri sün ikrájának erős ízét.
The chef put uni on top of the rice.
We shared one piece of uni nigiri.
They ordered uni because it was fresh today.
Common mistake:
Learners may think “uni” is just a short form of “sea urchin” in all contexts, but it usually refers to the edible part served as food. Some also confuse this food meaning with the informal word for “university”.
Meaning
sea urchin served as food
Collocations
uni sushi
|uni nigiri
|fresh uni
|uni sashimi
|uni pasta
Synonyms
sea urchin roe (More technical and descriptive; “uni” is the common menu and restaurant term borrowed from Japanese.)
Antonyms
beef (A contrasting example of meat from a land animal rather than seafood; used here as an opposite type of animal protein in cooking contexts.)
Themes
food
|culture
|food_drink
Definition
A Japanese word for the soft, rich part of a sea urchin that people eat, often on sushi.
In Japanese cuisine, the soft edible part of a sea urchin, often served as sushi or sashimi.
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
3
Usage pattern:
[someone] wears their uni
The team came out in their new home uni.
A csapat az új hazai mezében lépett pályára.
Don’t forget your uni for practice tonight.
Ne felejtsd el a szerelésedet a ma esti edzésre.
Our school just changed the colors of the football uni.
He spilled sports drink all over his uni.
Fans loved the retro uni the club wore last season.
Learner examples
The players put on their uni before the game.
A játékosok felvették a mezüket a meccs előtt.
I like our team’s red uni.
Tetszik a csapatunk piros meze.
She washed her uni after practice.
He forgot his uni and had to sit out.
They wore a special uni for the final.
Common mistake:
Learners may not recognize “uni” as “uniform” in sports commentary or fan discussions and may confuse it with the much more common meaning “university”.
Meaning
informal short form of uniform
Collocations
team uni
|home uni
|away uni
|school uni
|new uni
Synonyms
uniform (Full, standard word; “uni” is more casual and mostly used in speech or sports talk.)
Antonyms
street clothes (Refers to normal everyday clothes, which are the opposite of a team or work uniform.)
Themes
sports
|clothing
|communication
Definition
A short, casual way to say “uniform”, often for a sports team or school team clothes.
An informal abbreviation for a uniform, especially a sports kit or team outfit.
Grammar
Dictionary form
uni
IPA
GB/jˈuni/
US/jˈuni/
Syllables & stress
uni (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (uni)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: uni
- Plural: unis
Word family
Forms
unis
noun
Core family
university
noun A2
Expressions
apply to uni
1/əplˈaɪ tə jˈuni/
fixed phrase
submit applications to universities
To send forms and documents so that a university can decide if you can study there.
Examples
- I’m going to apply to uni this autumn.
- She applied to three unis and got two offers.
be at uni
1/bˈi ˈæt jˈuni/
fixed phrase
informal
currently studying at university
To be studying at a university at that time.
Examples
- My sister is at uni in Manchester.
- When I was at uni, I lived with four other students.
drop out of uni
1/dɹˈɑp ˈaʊt əv jˈuni/
phrasal verb
informal
leave university before finishing
To stop going to university before you complete your course or degree.
Examples
- He dropped out of uni in his second year.
- She was unhappy and almost dropped out of uni.
finish uni
1/fˈɪnɪʃ jˈuni/
fixed phrase
informal
complete a university degree
To complete your studies and leave the university, usually with a degree.
Examples
- He wants to travel after he finishes uni.
- I finished uni two years ago and now I’m working full-time.
go to uni
1/ɡˈoʊ tə jˈuni/
fixed phrase
informal
attend university as a student
To study at a university as a student.
Examples
- I want to go to uni in another city.
- Most of my friends went to uni after finishing school.
start uni
1/stˈɑɹt jˈuni/
fixed phrase
informal
begin university studies
To begin your first term or year at a university.
Examples
- She’s nervous about starting uni in September.
- I started uni a year later than my friends.
uni degree
1/jˈuni dɪɡɹˈi/
fixed phrase
degree from a university
A qualification you get when you finish your university studies.
Examples
- He has a uni degree in engineering.
- They prefer candidates with a uni degree for this job.
uni student
1/jˈuni stˈudənt/
fixed phrase
student who is at university
A person who is studying at a university.
Examples
- As a uni student, she works part-time in a café.
- Many uni students share a house to save money.