Oxbridge was originally a fictional composite of the universities of Oxford and Cambridge and the term is now used to refer them collectively, often with implications of their superior intellectual and social status. The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University" or simply "Oxford" located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England is the The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University) located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the ^[1]

Contents 1 Meaning 2 Origins 3 Related terms 4 References 5 See also 6 External links

Meaning

The term 'Oxbridge' has arisen partly from the many characteristics that the two universities share. The University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge are the two oldest universities in England. This is a list of the oldest extant universities in the world. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Both were founded more than 750 years ago,^[2][3] and between them have produced a large number of Britain's most prominent scientists, writers, and politicians,^[4] as well as noted figures in many other fields. A scientist, in the broadest sense refers to any person that engages in a systematic activity to acquire Knowledge or an individual that engages in such practices A writer is anyone who creates a written work although the word usually designates those who write creatively or professionally as well as those who have written in many different forms A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person ^[5] Moreover they both share a similar collegiate system, whereby the University is a 'cooperative' of its constituent colleges. A collegiate university is a University whose functions are divided between the central administration of the university and a number of constituent colleges The competition between Oxford and Cambridge also has a long history, dating back to the days when Cambridge was founded by dissident scholars from Oxford.

The word Oxbridge may also be used as a descriptor of social class; i. Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions (or stratification) between individuals or groups in Societies or Cultures. e. the upper social classes who have in the past dominated the intake of these two universities.

Origins

Although both universities were founded more than seven centuries ago, the term 'Oxbridge' is relatively young. In William Thackeray's bildungsroman, Pendennis, published in 1849, the main character attends (the fictional) Boniface College, Oxbridge. William Makepeace Thackeray (ˈθækərɪ 18 July 1811 – 24 December 1863 was an English Novelist of the 19th century A bildungsroman (ˈbɪldʊŋsroˌmaːn "novel of formation" is a Novelistic genre that arose during the German Enlightenment (and is regarded by some as This article relates to the novel titled Pendennis For the castle in Cornwall, United Kingdom, see Pendennis Castle. Year 1849 ( MDCCCXLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common This is a list of fictional colleges of either the universities referred to collectively as Oxbridge, but where the specific university is not specified or According to the Oxford English Dictionary, this is the first recorded instance of the word, but it did not enter common usage until the middle of the 20th century. The Oxford English Dictionary ( OED) published by the Oxford University Press (OUP is a comprehensive Dictionary of the English The twentieth century of the Common Era began on This is possibly because until 1832, Oxford and Cambridge were the only universities in England, and the terms "University" or "Varsity" would have sufficed to encompass both universities. Year 1832 ( MDCCCXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian

Pendennis also introduces the term Camford as another combination of the university names; "he was a Camford man and very nearly got the English Prize Poem"; although this term has never achieved the same degree of usage as Oxbridge. Virginia Woolf used the term Oxbridge critically in her essay A Room of One's Own. (Adeline Virginia Woolf (née Stephen; 25 January 1882 – 28 March 1941 was an English Novelist and Essayist, regarded as one of the foremost A Room of One's Own is an extended Essay by Virginia Woolf. First published during 24 October 1929, it was based on a series

Social critics in the United Kingdom, such as Carole Cadwalladr, also sometimes use "Oxbridge" or "Oxbridge Club" as shorthand for the "old boy network". An old boy network, or society, can refer to social and business connections among former pupils of top male-only Private schools This can apply to ^[6]

Related terms

Other portmanteau words are occasionally derived from the term "Oxbridge", such as "Doxbridge" an annual inter-collegiate sports tournament between the colleges of Durham, Oxford, and Cambridge. Durham University is a University in Durham, England. It was founded as the University of Durham (which remains its official and legal name ^[7] The term "Loxbridge" (referring to London, Oxford, and Cambridge) is sometimes used,^[8] and was also used as the name of a history conference now referred to as AMPAH. The University of London is a university based primarily in London, England, UK. ^[9] However, such terms are only used for specific groups, and none has achieved widespread use. In the United States, the Ivy League forms an analogous group of colleges with a reputation for selectivity and academic excellence, but the relationship is more formally organized. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Ivy League is an Athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States.

References

See also

• List of fictional Oxbridge colleges

External links

• University of Cambridge
• University of Oxford
• The Boat Race
• The Varsity Match

This is a list of fictional colleges of either the universities referred to collectively as Oxbridge, but where the specific university is not specified or

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