private school

American  

noun

• private schools
  plural

1. a school founded, conducted, and maintained by a private group rather than by the government, usually charging tuition and often following a particular philosophy, viewpoint, etc.

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private school British  

noun

1. a school under the financial and managerial control of a private body or charitable trust, accepting mostly fee-paying pupils

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• private schools
  plural

Etymology

Origin of private school

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

private school

Their two children, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, have already been signed up at a private school for the start of the academic year in early September, according to multiple British media outlets.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

"I send my grandchildren to a private school," he says.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

About $1,200 of her total went toward uniforms for her daughter’s private school, where single shirts and jackets from designated vendors can cost $50 to $70 each.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026

My parents couldn’t afford private school, so I took the admissions test for Stuyvesant, one of the city’s finest public high schools.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

“I thought you said she went to a private school in Boston.”

From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison

Related Words

• parochial school
• preparatory school