middle school

American  

noun

1. a school intermediate between elementary school and high school, usually encompassing grades five or six through eight.

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middle school British  

noun

1. (in England and Wales) a school for children aged between 8 or 9 and 12 or 13 Compare first school

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Etymology

Origin of middle school

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

There was a year in middle school when I was sick often enough that the doctor’s office felt a bit like a second address.

From Salon

You know that place, you lived near there for almost a year in middle school, the Smoky Mountains feeling close to home.

From Literature

The age range served by the Radical Monarchs is a critical time for girls, as puberty and the transition to middle school can be challenging.

From Los Angeles Times

I was in middle school or early high school when this show made its debut, and even though I wasn’t the target audience, its cultural impact was impossible to miss.

From The Wall Street Journal

This season has been another challenging time with practices at night and at middle schools until the high school gym was finally re-opened at the end of January.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• junior high
• secondary school