Rutgers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A state university in New Brunswick, New Jersey, known for its large public campus ; the athletic teams that represent that institution in competition
2. The public research university located in New Jersey ; the sports squads that compete under that university's name
3. A large public university based in New Jersey ; the varsity athletic programs that play for the Scarlet Knights

Etymology: Rutgers is a Dutch patronymic surname, built from the given name Rutger. That name is the same as Roger and goes back to the Germanic name Hrodgar, made of elements meaning "fame" and "spear." Rutger became a common given name in the Low Countries, and a surname formed from it followed the usual pattern of Dutch naming, where a son could take his father's first name, with an added "s," as his family name. The best-known bearer of the name is Henry Rutgers, an American Revolutionary War officer whose Dutch-descended family gave their name to Rutgers University in New Jersey. The university's name thus comes from a personal name rather than a place or a classical word, which is unusual for an American institution of its age.