School — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈskül/

Meaning & Definition of School

School (noun)

  1. an organization that provides instruction
  2. an institution for the teaching of children
  3. college, university
  4. a large number of fish or aquatic animals of one kind swimming together

School (verb)

  1. to teach or drill in a specific knowledge or skill
  2. to discipline or habituate to something
  3. to educate in an institution of learning
  4. to swim or feed in a school

School (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a place or establishment for teaching and learning

    "one of the first schools in the country to admit girls as students"

    similar: academe, academy, seminary
    related: boarding school, prep, preparatory school, prep school, common school, elementary school, grammar school, high school, junior high school, kindergarten, middle school, primary school, public school, secondary school, senior high school, trade school, training school, charter school, magnet school, minischool, madrassa, Sunday school, yeshiva

School (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to cause to acquire knowledge or skill in some field

    "schooled their children in proper etiquette for formal occasions"

    similar: educate, indoctrinate, instruct, lesson, teach, train, tutor
    related: coach, mentor, drill, fit, ground, habilitate, prepare, prime, qualify, direct, guide, lead, rear, catechize, lecture, moralize, preach, implant, inculcate, instill, homeschool, edify, enlighten, brief, familiarize, impart (to), inform, verse, initiate, introduce, show, reeducate, reschool, reteach, retrain

Related Entry: School bag (noun)

School bag is a different word from School. The synonyms below are for school bag, not for school.

  1. as in fanny pack, seabag

    similar: fanny pack, seabag, carryall, carry-on, grip, handbag, holdall (chiefly British), portmanteau, suitcase, traveling bag, overnight bag, overnight case, weekend bag, haversack, backpack, kit bag, knapsack, pack, packsack, rucksack

Related Entry: School bags (noun)

School bags is a different word from School. The synonyms below are for school bags, not for school.

  1. as in fanny packs, seabags

    similar: fanny packs, seabags, carryalls, carry-ons, grips, handbags, holdalls (chiefly British), portmanteaus, suitcases, traveling bags, overnight bags, overnight cases, weekend bags, haversacks, backpacks, kit bags, knapsacks, packs, packsacks, rucksacks

Related Entry: Nursery school (noun)

Nursery school is a different word from School. The synonyms below are for nursery school, not for school.

  1. a school for children who are generally less than five years old

    "parents trying to find the right nursery school for their children"

    similar: crèche, day nursery, nursery, pre-K, prekindergarten, preschool

Related Entry: Old-school (adjective)

Old-school is a different word from School. The synonyms below are for old-school, not for school.

  1. pleasantly reminiscent of an earlier time

    "an old-school romantic comedy in which the two leads don't jump into bed at the first opportunity"

    similar: antique, old-fashioned, old-time, old-timey, old-world, oldfangled, quaint, retro, retrograde, vintage
    related: antiquated, moldy, obsolete, rinky-dink, historic, historical, olden, traditional, old hat, outdated, outmoded, out-of-date, outworn, passé, superannuated, dated, fusty, moth-eaten, musty, stodgy, aged, age-old, ancient, antediluvian, atavistic, fossilized, hoary, venerable, bygone, erstwhile, former, late, past, forgotten, remote, ageless, dateless, timeless, anachronistic, anachronous
    opposite: contemporary, current, hot, mod, modern, modernist, modernistic, new age, newfangled, new-fashioned, present-day, red-hot, space-age, state-of-the-art, ultramodern, up-to-date
    near: fresh, new, chic, designer, fashionable, smart, stylish, modernized, refurbished, remodeled, renewed, updated, last, latest, futuristic, high-tech, latter-day, nontraditional, recent

  2. tending to favor established ideas, conditions, or institutions

    "an old-school gentleman who opened doors and pulled out chairs for women"

    similar: archconservative, brassbound, button-down, conservative, die-hard, hidebound, mossbacked, old-fashioned, old-line, orthodox, paleoconservative, reactionary, standpat, traditional, traditionalistic, ultraconservative, unprogressive
    related: conventional, square, devoted, faithful, loyal, staunch, steadfast, steady, true, true-blue, blimpish, neoconservative, Tory, ultraright, ultrarightist, dowdy, fogyish, fuddy-duddy, ossified, set, stodgy, right, right-wing, antiliberal, antimodern, antiprogressive, antireform, antirevolutionary
    opposite: broad-minded, large-minded, liberal, nonconservative, nonconventional, nonorthodox, nontraditional, open-minded, progressive, unconventional, unorthodox
    near: anticonventional, antiestablishment, antitraditional, extremist, radical, revolutionary, nonconformist, advanced, contemporary, modern, lefty, ultraleft, ultraleftist, ultraprogressive, ultraradical

Related Entry: Senior high school (noun)

Senior high school is a different word from School. The synonyms below are for senior high school, not for school.

  1. an educational institution that includes the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades and often also the 9th grade

    similar: common school, elementary school, grammar school, high school, junior high school, kindergarten, middle school, primary school, public school, secondary school, trade school, training school, academe, academy, school, seminary, boarding school, prep, preparatory school, prep school, charter school, magnet school, minischool, madrassa, Sunday school, yeshiva

Related Entry: Sunday school (noun)

Sunday school is a different word from School. The synonyms below are for Sunday school, not for school.

  1. as in yeshiva, madrassa

    similar: madrassa, yeshiva, charter school, magnet school, minischool, common school, elementary school, grammar school, high school, junior high school, kindergarten, middle school, primary school, public school, secondary school, senior high school, trade school, training school, boarding school, prep, preparatory school, prep school, academe, academy, school, seminary

Related Entry: Boarding school (noun)

Boarding school is a different word from School. The synonyms below are for boarding school, not for school.

  1. as in prep school, prep

    similar: prep, preparatory school, prep school, academe, academy, school, seminary, common school, elementary school, grammar school, high school, junior high school, kindergarten, middle school, primary school, public school, secondary school, senior high school, trade school, training school, charter school, magnet school, minischool, madrassa, Sunday school, yeshiva

Related Entry: Charter school (noun)

Charter school is a different word from School. The synonyms below are for charter school, not for school.

  1. as in magnet school, minischool

    similar: magnet school, minischool, common school, elementary school, grammar school, high school, junior high school, kindergarten, middle school, primary school, public school, secondary school, senior high school, trade school, training school, madrassa, Sunday school, yeshiva, boarding school, prep, preparatory school, prep school, academe, academy, school, seminary

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for School

The most common words with a similar meaning to School:

academe, academy, seminary, educate, indoctrinate, instruct, lesson, teach, train, tutor

Related Words for School

boarding school, prep, preparatory school, prep school, common school, elementary school, grammar school, high school, junior high school, kindergarten, middle school, primary school, public school, secondary school, senior high school, trade school, training school, charter school, magnet school, minischool, madrassa, Sunday school, yeshiva, coach, mentor, drill, fit, ground, habilitate, prepare

Word Forms of School

Inflections: schooled, schooling, schools

Origin & Etymology of School

Middle English scole, from Old English scōl, from Latin schola, from Greek scholē leisure, discussion, lecture, school; perhaps akin to Greek echein to hold scheme:1

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for School

Words & Phrases Containing School

school-age, school board, school bus, school choice, school committee, school district

Frequently Asked Questions about School

What does "School" mean?

"School" means an organization that provides instruction. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: an organization that provides instruction. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "School"?

Other words for "School" include academe, academy, seminary, educate, indoctrinate, instruct, lesson and teach. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "School" you intend.

What are different ways to say "School"?

There are 68 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "School". Common alternatives include academe, academy, seminary, educate, indoctrinate, instruct, lesson, teach, train and tutor.

How do you use "School" in a sentence?

Examples of "School" in a sentence: "one of the first schools in the country to admit girls as students"; "schooled their children in proper etiquette for formal occasions".

Is "School" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"School" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "School" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "School" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "School"?

"School" is pronounced /ˈskül/.

What is the origin of the word "School"?

"School" comes from Middle English scole, from Old English scōl, from Latin schola, from Greek scholē leisure, discussion, lecture, school; perhaps akin to Greek echein to hold scheme:1. First known use: before 12th century.