private school

American  

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of private school

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

They are going through divorces, having trouble connecting with their spouses or dealing with their kids’ private school tuition.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

Some of those luxuries then become fixed expenses that are hard to unwind — a bigger house, a more expensive car, private school.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 5, 2026

Chloe Peichl, who is 18, is a senior at a small private school in Texas.

From Slate • Feb. 12, 2026

Future decisions such as whether the children attend private school or Brady Muñoz returns to work also will play a big role in whether they can achieve it, she says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026

After that, she started to attend community college and got a new job as a clerk in a private school, where her boss didn’t mind if she kept a close eye on her daughters.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall

Related Words

• parochial school
• preparatory school