Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

primary school

American  

noun

  1. a school usually covering the first three or four years of elementary school and sometimes kindergarten.

  2. elementary school.


primary school British  

noun

  1. (in Britain) a school for children below the age of 11. It is usually divided into an infant and a junior section

  2. (in the US and Canada) a school equivalent to the first three or four grades of elementary school, sometimes including a kindergarten

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of primary school

First recorded in 1795–1805

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Broden's former school Tillington Manor Primary School had earlier paid tribute to him describing him as "a special young man" who was "kind-hearted, respectful and full of warmth".

From BBC • May 4, 2026

Barbara Middleton, of Shiremoor Primary School in Newcastle, said she had so far declined to take up the government's free breakfast club offer due to the financial and logistical challenges involved.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

The children in Artigarvan Primary School certainly enjoyed taking part.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

A launch event took place at St Martha's Primary School on Thursday and several parks across the city have already been selected for the project, including Penilee Park and Richmond Park.

From BBC • Mar. 2, 2026

Olanna ran past the town square on her way to Akwakuma Primary School in the morning.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "primary school" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com