E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
U’niversity.
First applied to collegiate societies of learning in the twelfth century, because the universitas litera’rum (entire range of literature) was taught in them—i.e. arts, theology, law, and physic, still called the “learned” sciences. Greek, Latin, grammar, rhetoric, and poetry are called humanity studies, or humaniors literœ, meaning “lay” studies in contradistinction to divinity, which is the study of divine things. (See CAD.)
s literœ, meaning “lay” studies in contradistinction to divinity, which is the study of divine things. (See C
