primary school
Americannoun
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primary schools
plural
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a school usually covering the first three or four years of elementary school and sometimes kindergarten.
noun
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(in Britain) a school for children below the age of 11. It is usually divided into an infant and a junior section
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(in the US and Canada) a school equivalent to the first three or four grades of elementary school, sometimes including a kindergarten
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of primary school
First recorded in 1795–1805
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.
Phonics are more central to the plan and there will be more tracking of children's progress in primary school.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
At the time of her arrest she had 15 children aged under 12 in her care, as well as 10 children under primary school age and two children under the age of one.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
It included conditions that a maximum of six children could be under the age of 12, no more than three could have started primary school, and no more than one could be under 12-months-old.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Emma, from Kirklees, has grandchildren in Years 1, 2 and 4 and thinks primary school is too young to be introducing careers talks.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
It was because when our teachers, like Miss Ulfat in primary school, said “Excellent!” or “Well done!” our hearts would fly.
From "Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World" by Malala Yousafzai
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