From Latin 'collegium' (society of colleagues) — originally any body of people united for a shared purpose.
An educational institution or establishment for higher learning; a body of people with shared functions and privileges within a university or society.
From Old French 'college' (community, collegiate body), from Latin 'collēgium' (community, society, guild), from 'collēga' (one chosen along with another, a partner in office), from 'com-' (together) + 'legere' (to choose, to appoint, to read). The original sense was a body of colleagues — people chosen together for a shared purpose. The educational institution sense developed from the medieval practice of organizing scholars into residential communities. Key roots: com- + legere (Latin: "together + to choose