preschool

1 of 2

adjective

pre·​school ˈprē-ˌskül 

(ˌ)prē-ˈskül

: of, relating to, or constituting the period in a child's life that ordinarily precedes attendance at elementary school

preschool

2 of 2

noun

pre·​school ˈprē-ˌskül 

: a school for children usually younger than those attending elementary school or kindergarten : nursery school

Synonyms

Noun

• crèche
• day nursery
• nursery
• nursery school
• pre-K
• prekindergarten

Examples of preschool in a Sentence

Noun

children excited about starting preschool

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Proceeds benefit Winter Park Day Nursery’s mission to assure a high-quality preschool education for children, regardless of their family’s income. —Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2025

These employees include managers, school site counselors, education specialists, school psychologists in addition to special education teachers and preschool teachers. —Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2025

Noun

Instead, the family took the crumbs of those six hours of preschool a week. —Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 31 Mar. 2025

The bill would ban businesses, as well as schools and preschools, from requiring any medical intervention, including all types of injections. —Carolyn Komatsoulis, Idaho Statesman, 29 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1914, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1925, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for preschool

• ampoule
• bascule
• carpool
• cesspool
• ferrule
• footstool
• guayule
• lobule
• misrule
• pustule
• whirlpool
• boule

Kids Definition

preschool

1 of 2 adjective

pre·​school ˈprē-ˌskül 

: of, relating to, or being the period in a child's life to the age of five or six that ordinarily precedes attendance at school

preschool

2 of 2 noun

: a school for children usually younger than those attending elementary school or kindergarten : nursery school