secondary school

American  

noun

1. a high school or a school of corresponding grade, ranking between a primary school and a college or university.

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secondary school British  

noun

1. a school for young people, usually between the ages of 11 and 18

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Other Word Forms

• secondary-school adjective

Etymology

Origin of secondary school

First recorded in 1825–35

Compare meaning

How does secondary-school compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• secondary school vs. high school

Example Sentences

Faye, who comes from Glasgow, began writing songs when she was at secondary school.

From BBC

A government‑commissioned study of 317 secondary schools found that about three‑quarters reported better concentration since phones were banned.

From BBC

He went to secondary school in the wealthy bourgeois 16th arrondissement of Paris, where he said he felt an uncomfortable outsider, and later attended the elite ENA administration school.

From BBC

Luke Sibieta agreed there were challenges in recruiting teachers "particularly in secondary schools, particularly in disadvantaged areas, and in particular maths and science subjects".

From BBC

Sixteen of the 20 confirmed cases were university students and four were secondary school students, he said.

From BBC

Related Words

• high school
• junior high school
• middle school
• prep school
• preparatory school
• senior high school