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school year

American  

noun

  1. the months of the year during which school is open and attendance at school is required.

  2. academic year.


school year British  

noun

  1. a twelve-month period, (in Britain) usually starting in late summer and continuing for three terms until the following summer, during which pupils remain in the same class

  2. the time during this period when the school is open

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of school year

First recorded in 1855–60

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.

For one thing, the end of the school year results in some school employees such as bus drivers and cafeteria workers applying for unemployment benefits.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026

Non-stability refers to the percentage of students who are enrolled at the school for less than the full school year.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

The five main teaching unions are to ballot their members from 10 June and it could lead to strike action in the new school year.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

Those efforts and its new science center helped boost undergraduate applications 52% for the 2026-2027 school year.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026

So she was just as used to climbing up and down stairs in the summertime as during the school year.

From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

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