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

Many of the same books are banned over and over across the country, through coordinated efforts by groups that share lists of titles among their members, including picture and board books for preschool children. —Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024

Or, celebrate their first year in school with a personalized preschool ornament (which, by the way, ships in 24 hours or less). —Katrina Cossey, Parents, 6 Dec. 2024

Noun

As police methodically cleared the K-12 school, which sits on a 28-acre campus with a preschool and a church, city buses took students to a clinic down the road serving as a reunification point. —Sophie Carson, Journal Sentinel, 16 Dec. 2024

The school choice program allows Connecticut families with students entering preschool through 12th grade to apply to attend several different types of public schools in the Greater Hartford region. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 14 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