The definition of a diploma is an official certificate given to a student who has obtained a degree, graduated from a particular course of study or has been granted honors.
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as college or university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study. The word diploma also refers to an academic award which is given after the completion of study in different courses such as diploma in higher education, diploma in graduation or diploma in post-graduation. Historically, it can also refer to a charter or official document, thus diplomatic and diplomacy via the Codex Juris Gentium Diplomatic.