Meaning & use
Harrovian
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountableBritish
A student or former student of Harrow School, a famous boys' school in London.
Grammar: Countable: one Harrovian, two Harrovians. Often used with 'old' for former students.
Patterns
- an old Harrovian
- a Harrovian at Harrow
He is an old Harrovian and still supports the school's teams.
Several Harrovians went on to study at Oxford.
The event was organized by a group of former Harrovians.
adjectivebefore a nounBritish
Relating to Harrow School or its students and former students.
Grammar: Used before a noun: Harrovian traditions. Not usually after a verb.
Patterns
- Harrovian traditions
- Harrovian society
The museum displays Harrovian memorabilia from the 19th century.
She wrote a book about Harrovian customs and slang.
The Harrovian cricket team played a match against Eton.
Word forms
| plural | Harrovians |
|---|
Common combinations
- old Harrovian
- An old Harrovian donated money for the new library.
- Harrovian traditions
- The film explores Harrovian traditions like the straw hat.
- a group of Harrovians
- A group of Harrovians visited the museum together.
- Harrovian cricket
- Harrovian cricket has a long history against Eton.
Commonly confused: Harrovian or Harvard?
Harrovian vs Harvard
Harvard is a university in the United States; Harrow is a school in London. Do not confuse Harrovian with Harvardian, which is rare and means a Harvard student or graduate.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'Harrovian' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Harrovian refers to Harrow School in London. Harvard is a different institution, and the other options wrongly treat Harrovian as a place or a restaurant.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Harrovian”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.