trade school

American  

noun

• trade schools
  plural

1. a high school giving instruction chiefly in the skilled trades.

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trade school British  

noun

1. a school or teaching unit organized by an industry or large company to provide trade training, apprentice education, and similar courses

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• trade schools
  plural

Etymology

Origin of trade school

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

trade school

He told ProPublica that he wants to transform lives and guide students to college, trade school or the military.

From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026

Prior to the pandemic, "people weren't really talking about going to trade school, vocational schools, stuff like that. It was like: 'Go to college, get your four years.'"

From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026

Funds in the account may be used for qualified higher-education expenses, including tuition at a college, university, trade school, vocational school or apprenticeship program.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 8, 2026

Mott spent $18.85 on gas, enough to drive to his job and the trade school where he is in a welding program.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 6, 2026

From Mami we hear that our sister is beautifully acclimated to life on the Island and taking classes in shorthand and typing at the Ford Foundation trade school.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez