Phrase guide

diploma mill

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A business that sells fake diplomas or academic degrees.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A disreputable university, churning out diplomas to unqualified students.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory

Topics: education

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 野雞大學 /野鸡大学 (yějī dàxué) — university churning out diplomas to unqualified students
  • Chinese Mandarin: 學歷工廠 /学历工厂 (xuélì gōngchǎng) — university churning out diplomas to unqualified students
  • Chinese Mandarin: 虛假大學 /虚假大学 (xūjiǎ dàxué) — university churning out diplomas to unqualified students
  • Chinese Mandarin: 學店 /学店 (xuédiàn) — university churning out diplomas to unqualified students
  • Chinese Mandarin: 文憑工廠 /文凭工厂 (wénpíng gōngchǎng) — university churning out diplomas to unqualified students
  • Finnish: diplomitehdas — university churning out diplomas to unqualified students
  • French: usine à diplômes — university churning out diplomas to unqualified students
  • German: Titelmühle — university churning out diplomas to unqualified students
  • Hungarian: diplomagyár — university churning out diplomas to unqualified students
  • Polish: fabryka dyplomów — university churning out diplomas to unqualified students
  • Portuguese: uniesquina — university churning out diplomas to unqualified students
  • Romanian: fabrică de diplome — university churning out diplomas to unqualified students
  • Russian: фа́брика дипло́мов (fábrika diplómov) — university churning out diplomas to unqualified students
  • Russian: фа́брика степене́й (fábrika stepenéj) — university churning out diplomas to unqualified students