old school

American  

noun

1. advocates or supporters of established custom or of conservatism.

   a military man of the old school.

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old school British  

noun

1. a school formerly attended by a person

2. a group of people favouring traditional ideas or conservative practices

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Other Word Forms

• old-school adjective

Etymology

Origin of old school

First recorded in 1790–1800

Example Sentences

Giardina’s prescription, and that of many other liberals and progressives in the region, is straightforward — and old school.

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026

For dinner, I went old school at À La Renaissance, a century-old, recently revived bistro with chunky terrazzo floors and burgundy banquettes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 14, 2026

My younger brother is like, “Hey, man, I just went in for a test, and they’re telling me I got to have an old school triple bypass,” and then that’s what we all get tested.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 13, 2026

When Gisele just wants to just be a 20-year-old, she focuses on her favorite hobbies, such as cooking and spending time with friends from her old school, Harvard-Westlake.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2026

Her old school had been kindergarten through eighth grade, and that was back when she and Lauren were inseparable, even dressing alike when they were really young.

From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway