elementary school
Americannoun
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elementary schools
plural
noun
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a former name for primary school
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Also called (in the US): grade school. grammar school. a state school in which instruction is given for the first six to eight years of a child's education
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of elementary school
First recorded in 1835–45
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.
Stacey Zavala, a Los Angeles elementary school teacher, was in her classroom teaching on Sept. 11, 2001.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
A Dallas, Texas native, she also recalls teachers showing the video of then-President George W. Bush first learning about the attacks at an elementary school event.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
The elementary school offers instruction in Spanish, Chinese and English.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
According to Bleiker, becoming familiar with classroom routines at an earlier age may make it easier for children to adjust when they enter elementary school.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 28, 2026
“When the elementary school wanted new playground equipment, it took three years to get it. But bring up something boring, and it’s ready to go in twenty-four hours.”
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
