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

Your child’s preschool teachers are a great source of wisdom. —Amy Dickinson, The Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2024

Friday, April 12 Preschool Hour: S is for Soil, 10 a.m. at Chain O'Lakes State Park: Visit the staff at the park’s Stanley Schoolhouse for part of its preschool series exploring life in the forest and how soil is one of Earth’s most important natural resources. —Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Apr. 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