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

But the memory of our first such meeting, the two of us seated in tiny preschool chairs, still feels fresh. —Russell Shaw, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2025

The pandemic significantly impacted early childhood education, leading to a decline in preschool enrollment. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024

Noun

Today, the legacy of the Italian woman behind Montessori schools lives on in preschools around the globe. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Jan. 2025

Many parents were unwilling to send young children to school during the height of COVID-19, while numerous preschools temporarily shut down. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1914, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1925, in the meaning defined above

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