language arts
Americannoun
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(used with a plural verb) the skills, including reading, composition, speech, spelling, and grammar, taught in elementary and secondary schools to give students a thorough proficiency in using the language.
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(used with a singular verb) a core course of instruction in an elementary or secondary school where students develop these skills.
Etymology
Origin of language arts
First recorded in 1945–50
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.
If third-graders as a group combined for a score of zero, then third-graders, on average, would be scoring at grade level on the English language arts portion of the state’s standardized tests.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 15, 2026
Fewer than half of California students meet state standards in English language arts and math.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026
Currently, high school students need 24 credits to graduate, and many of those credits are in core subjects such as language arts, social studies, math and science.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 12, 2024
History and language arts teacher Heather Drane also left this year, after she was informed she would be involuntarily moved to a different school after 18 years in the same one.
From Washington Times • Nov. 5, 2023
I got most of the language arts answers right, but the math questions stumped me.
From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper
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.
