elementary school

American  

noun

1. the lowest school giving formal instruction, teaching the rudiments of learning, and extending usually from six to eight years.

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elementary school British  

noun

1. a former name for primary school

2. 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

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Etymology

Origin of elementary school

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

His family’s neighborhood was spared, but he and his sister lost their beloved elementary school.

From Los Angeles Times

Pathfinder Tech plans to lease a soon-vacant elementary school to add 150 seats and reduce its wait list.

From The Wall Street Journal

It built the local police station, an elementary school and the irrigation system in Rarotonga.

From The Wall Street Journal

Most mornings, she picks up nine children, taking several older ones to elementary schools and toddlers and preschoolers to her home.

From Los Angeles Times

The liberal arts must define education as a whole, affecting every major, class and student mind, from elementary school to post-graduate programs.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• grade school
• grammar school