pre-K
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of pre-K
First recorded in 1965–70; pre- ( def. ) + K 3 ( def. ) (in the sense “kindergarten”)
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.
Students who attended public school pre-K went on to perform better academically through high school than children who received family-based childcare, according to new research from Florida International University.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 28, 2026
The two appeared together at a pre-K site in the Bronx, where they read to children and highlighted the importance of early childhood education.
From Salon ● Apr. 19, 2026
A-Street plans to back early- to late-stage U.S. companies focused on pre-K to 12th grade curriculum and instructional platforms.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 8, 2026
“Early learning activities in the home, the complexity of language that families use, the quality of pre-K — all these drive a huge difference in the pace of the child’s development,” Fuller said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 5, 2026
“Ray should be in pre-K or something. He doesn’t say much, but he understands a lot. He already knows his numbers and colors.”
From "Towers Falling" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
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.
