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trade school

American

noun

a high school giving instruction chiefly in the skilled trades.

trade school British

noun

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

"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 trade school

First recorded in 1885–90

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.

He dropped out of college last year and is now in trade school studying to be an electrician.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

That can include higher education, but also K-12 tuition or trade school.

From Barron's • Dec. 5, 2025

But his productions were like a trade school for New Hollywood.

From New York Times • May 12, 2024

The plan would have hugely benefited California borrowers, who hold the largest share of federal debt owed by 43 million current and former college and trade school students nationwide.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2023

All he needed was a diploma for trade school.

From "Adrift" by Paul Griffin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023