Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

secondary school

American  

noun

  1. a high school or a school of corresponding grade, ranking between a primary school and a college or university.


secondary school British  

noun

  1. a school for young people, usually between the ages of 11 and 18

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of secondary school

First recorded in 1825–35

Compare meaning

How does secondary-school compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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.

It’s 07:00 on a chilly winter morning and a group of students has just arrived at Chanyanya Primary and Secondary school, a little over an hour’s drive south-west of Zambia’s capital, Lusaka.

From BBC • Jul. 14, 2024

Secondary school pupils will no longer have to wear face coverings in the classroom - but they will be required in corridors.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2022

Secondary school pupils are asked to wear masks in class.

From BBC • Jan. 21, 2022

Secondary school students in England will be required to wear face masks as they return to classes.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 4, 2022

Secondary school was a staging ground for work details in mines, fields, and forests.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden