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Synonyms

grammar school

American  

noun

  • grammar schools
    plural
  1. an elementary school.

  2. British. a secondary school corresponding to a U.S. high school.

  3. (formerly) a secondary school in which Latin and Greek are among the principal subjects taught.


grammar school British  

noun

  1. (esp formerly) a state-maintained secondary school providing an education with an academic bias for children who are selected by the eleven-plus examination, teachers' reports, or other means Compare secondary modern school comprehensive school

  2. another term for elementary school

  3. a private school, esp one controlled by a church

  4. a secondary school forming part of the public education system

"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 grammar school

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

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.

See Examples For:

Richmond Lodge was a girls' grammar school located on the Malone Road in Belfast, but it no longer exists.

From BBC Apr. 28, 2026

“There were books when my daughters were in grammar school and high school that stated we were extinct,” said Art Morales, an elder and historian in the tribe.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 19, 2025

She was educated at a local grammar school before going to St Mary's College, Durham University in 1952.

From BBC Aug. 11, 2025

About 2,500 pupils in Northern Ireland attend grammar school preps, Christian and other independent schools.

From BBC Sep. 6, 2024

Every town in Massachusetts had a grammar school, and from the age of eight, pupils there would be taught the classics from eight in the morning until dark fell.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

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