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Synonyms

elementary school

American  

noun

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


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

"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

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.

Juan de Dios Ramirez Gonzalez, a principal at the elementary school stands in front of part of the mural he helped contribute to 2.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 27, 2026

Moderate exercise has been shown to improve learning among students from elementary school through young adulthood, and the effects on attention, memory and executive function are well-documented, pediatricians say.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026

These children were in elementary school when Covid hit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

Six years later, it remains mostly empty, aside from a small elementary school founded by Bhakta’s wife, with the bigger development plans called off.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

But mine falls halfway down my back, the style similar to what I wore in elementary school.

From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty

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