school age
Americannoun
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the age set by law for children to start school attendance.
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the period of school attendance required by law.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of school age
First recorded in 1735–45
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.
When my eldest reached school age, I couldn’t imagine sending him to a typical public school.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 29, 2026
"All over-65s, children of nursery school and school age and people with certain pre-existing health problems, like chronic lung conditions or on cancer treatment, are eligible," she said.
From BBC ● Dec. 2, 2025
Lawyers Cynthia Santiago and Robert Simon said Jimenez had stopped to warn the agents that a group of school age children would soon be coming.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 25, 2025
Currently a childminder is permitted to care for six children under the age of 12 but only three of those can be under compulsory school age and only one can be under a year old.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2025
He was small in build and didn’t look much beyond primary school age, and it filled me with pity to see him doubled over, hacking like an old man.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
