pre-K

American  

[pree-key] / ˈpriˈkeɪ /

Or pre-k

noun

1. a school or class for three- or four-year-old children, before kindergarten.

   state-funded pre-K's.

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Etymology

Origin of pre-K

First recorded in 1965–70; pre- ( def. ) + K ³ ( def. ) (in the sense “kindergarten”)

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pre-K

“My husband assumes that it’ll just . . . work out,” reads a post on r/workingmoms about their first summer with a pre-K only child.

From Salon ● Jun. 24, 2026

So, the billionaire set out to create his own pre-K to 12th grade campus.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 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

That would yield over $100 billion a year—money that could finance universal pre-K nationwide or build hundreds of thousands of desperately needed affordable housing units.

From Slate ● Oct. 23, 2024

DeSoto, the neighborhood primary school, had a pre-K program, so they enrolled me.

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

Related Words

• kindergarten
• nursery school