kindergarten
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of kindergarten
1850–55; < German: literally, children's garden, equivalent to Kinder children ( see kind 2) + Garten garden
Explanation
Kindergarten is where children are introduced to school; it's where five year old children learn all about their ABC's and choice time. Kindergarten comes from the German words Kinder ("children") and Garten ("garden"). A garden of children is a lovely and poetic image for a classroom full of antsy kids trying their hardest to master basic skills and ideas through creative and interactive lessons. But perhaps that is just how they were seen by the 19th-century German educator Friedrich Fröbel, who is credited with inventing kindergarten, his "method of developing intelligence in young children."
Vocabulary lists containing kindergarten
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Words Derived from German
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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:
Seifried drafted a law that passed in April requiring 40 minutes of daily recess in kindergarten through fifth grade, up from 20 minutes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
In Elektrostal, an empty kindergarten was also hit, without any casualties, added Vorobyov.
From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026
Over his last term, Newsom has expanded early childhood education and created a new grade — free transitional kindergarten for all 4-year-olds — at a cost of $2.7 billion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
He says the kindergarten his daughter goes to asked if he and his wife knew of other families needing a place.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
That first day of kindergarten, it was easy.
From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Crimeans say basic services like kindergartens, trash collection and ATMs have stopped functioning.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
Authorities also waived fees for public kindergartens beginning last fall.
From Barron's ● Jan. 19, 2026
Getting vaccinated against hepatitis A has never been required as a condition of entry to California’s kindergartens or child-care centers, however.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 5, 2025
"Places should stop operating if they do not comply with current standards, in crowded places such as hotels, residences, nursing homes or kindergartens," says Prof Atayilmaz of Yildiz Technical University.
From BBC ● Jan. 22, 2025
Their son’s application to several kindergartens met with quick rejections, unaccompanied by explanations.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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.
