preschool

1 of 2

adjective

pre·​school ˈprē-ˌskül How to pronounce preschool (audio)
(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 How to pronounce preschool (audio)
: a school for children usually younger than those attending elementary school or kindergarten : nursery school

Examples of preschool in a Sentence

Noun children excited about starting preschool
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
As for the child who is 4 or younger, no other details were immediately available, including the child’s vaccination status and if the child attends a preschool or daycare center. Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2024 The centers will provide infant, toddler and preschool services through Child Care Associates, one of the largest child development programs in North Texas. Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2024 Two days later, on Dr. Hendrie’s advice, the governor of Pennsylvania ordered the evacuation of pregnant women and preschool children within five miles of the area. Trip Gabriel, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2024 Dora the Explorer launched on Nickelodeon in 2000 and over eight seasons on TV has become a popular preschool franchise. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Feb. 2024 The company’s shows are available on more than 150 video platforms globally including Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer and YouTube Kids, while its preschool music and audio programming is available on more than 100 audio platforms. Todd Spangler, Variety, 21 Feb. 2024 But her 58 years in film, which began during her preschool days, have been almost entirely devoted to outsider characters—women who are emotionally isolated, fighting to be believed, striking out perilously on their own. Jordan Kisner, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2024 Back in 2019, Menzies had originated the stage role of Lucas, a preschool teacher falsely accused of exposing himself to a child, in a London production. Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2024 Of the district’s 16 schools, including its preschool academy, six have greater than 90% of students eligible — four are equal to or greater than 98%. The Arizona Republic, 28 Jan. 2024
Noun
The post stated Skye loves the color pink, Minnie Mouse, and Paw Patrol and is looking forward to starting preschool. Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press, 22 Feb. 2024 Providing early literacy programs for students in preschool to third grade. Angela Rodriguez, Sacramento Bee, 20 Feb. 2024 In 2023, the program paid for 1,356 children from low-income households to attend preschool. Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 23 Jan. 2024 Families can learn more about camps, classes and preschool, and youth swim lesson assessments will be available for those looking to register their children for swim lessons this summer. Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024 Jocelyn Sizemore, Academy of Multilingual Immersion Studies, preschool. Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 23 Feb. 2024 Blackwell has mastered the art of the shelter dog post as a volunteer predominantly at Lancaster Animal Care Center, which looks a bit like a preschool with its colorful murals of flowers and pets. Michelle Madden, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2024 Secondary schools -- comprised of preschool to 12th grade -- saw the highest amount of hate crimes from 2018 to 2022, the report found. Luke Barr, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2024 His long-range plan for his charity centers around funding preschools to establish an encouraging base for kids. Pat Graham, USA TODAY, 26 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'preschool.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1914, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of preschool was in 1914

Dictionary Entries Near preschool

Cite this Entry

“Preschool.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preschool. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

preschool

1 of 2 adjective
pre·​school ˈprē-ˌskül How to pronounce preschool (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on preschool

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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