primary school

noun

1. a school usually covering the first three or four years of elementary school and sometimes kindergarten.

2. elementary school.

primary school

noun

1. (in Britain) a school for children below the age of 11. It is usually divided into an infant and a junior section

2. (in the US and Canada) a school equivalent to the first three or four grades of elementary school, sometimes including a kindergarten

Word History and Origins

Origin of primary school¹

First recorded in 1795–1805

Example Sentences

But some who had been in the industry for decades — especially immigrants who were older and had only a primary school education — had a hard time.

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A Scottish local authority is facing nearly 30 damages claims from families following a carbon monoxide leak at one of its primary schools.

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The weather conditions have led to the closure of two primary schools in Moray and six in the Highlands, and several more delayed opening until later.

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In 2022, the High Court in Belfast ruled that the Christian-based RE taught at primary schools in Northern Ireland was unlawful.

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I attended the primary school on the Institute’s campus.

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Related Words

• grade school 
• grammar school