the body of faculty and students of a college
"The new dean spent her first week touring the college to meet every student and professor on campus."
an institution of higher education created to educate and grant degrees; often a part of a university
"After receiving her acceptance letter, she packed her bags to start college next fall."
a complex of buildings in which an institution of higher education is housed
"The campus tour guide led us through every building on the college, from the old library to the new science wing."
A corporate group; a group of colleagues.
"The college decided to launch a new initiative that would affect every department by next quarter."
In plain English: A college is a school where older students go to study for a degree after finishing high school.
"She plans to attend college next fall to study engineering."
Usage: In everyday usage, college refers to an institution of higher education where students pursue degrees after high school. The older meaning of a corporate group or guild is now archaic and rarely used in modern conversation.
The word comes from the Latin collēgium, which originally referred to a group or association of people. It entered English through Middle French and Middle English with this same meaning.