1
: an organization that provides instruction: such as
a
: an institution for the teaching of children
b
c(1)
: a group of scholars and teachers pursuing knowledge together that with similar groups constituted a medieval university
(2)
: one of the four faculties of a medieval university
(3)
: an institution for specialized higher education often associated with a university
the school of engineering
d
: an establishment offering specialized instruction
a secretarial school
driving schools
2
a(1)
: the process of teaching or learning especially at a school
(2)
: attendance at a school
(3)
: a session of a school
b
: a school building
c
: the students attending a school
also
: its teachers and students
3
: a source of knowledge
experience was his school
4
a
: a group of persons who hold a common doctrine or follow the same teacher (as in philosophy, theology, or medicine)
the Aristotelian school
also
: the doctrine or practice of such a group
b
: a group of artists under a common influence
c
: a group of persons of similar opinions or behavior
also
: the shared opinions or behavior of such a group
other schools of thought
5
: the regulations governing military drill of individuals or units
also
: the exercises carried out
the school of the soldier
schooled; schooling; schools
1
a
: to teach or drill in a specific knowledge or skill
well schooled in languages
b
: to discipline or habituate to something
school oneself in patience
2
: to educate in an institution of learning
The child was schooled at great cost to her family.
: a large number of fish or aquatic animals of one kind swimming together
schooled; schooling; schools
: to swim or feed in a school
bluefish are schooling
Synonyms
Examples of school in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 29 Apr. 2024
In another episode, Fisher referenced the prison sentences of a Michigan school shooter’s parents who became the first in U.S. history to be convicted in a mass school shooting.
—Bill Lukitsch, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2024
The organizing groups, which include Students for Justice in Palestine chapters and the Students for Democratic Society at UW-Milwaukee, have pushed for their schools to cut ties with Israel.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, Journal Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2024
More practical gift card ideas include places for school supplies, like Staples or Teachers Pay Teachers, as well as gas stations and grocery stores.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 29 Apr. 2024
To close the set, the school kids were joined by former Super Bowl champions, as the NFL Players Choir led the ensemble through a pair of gospel numbers.
—Waiss Aramesh, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2024
There, the actor was in graduate school studying acting while Karim was an undergraduate student at N.Y.U.’s Experimental Theatre Wing.
—Erica Marrison, Peoplemag, 28 Apr. 2024
How school officials assess threats of violence Sid Bailey is the Arizona Department of Education's associate superintendent for school safety and discipline.
—Yana Kunichoff, The Arizona Republic, 17 Apr. 2024
And Janine is causing chaos, being self-involved, but under the guise of helping the school.
—Brande Victorian, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Apr. 2024
Charlie Campbell, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
He had been schooled in graphic design and was working in advertising.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2024
The rooms—pared back and minimalist—with an outsized portrait of each child newly schooled—will be joined by 24 more plus a six-meter-long pool by the end of the year.
—Claire Boobbyer, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Apr. 2024
Unlike so many talented teenage tennis players who get home schooled at a young age and then turn pro as teenagers, Collins opted to play college tennis at the University of Florida and University of Virginia for four years before turning pro.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2024
He was schooled in acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and also, less formally, in New York theaters.
—Matt Twomey, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Smaller reds, however, often school up in the backcountry shallows, providing some of the best sight-fishing opportunities of the year.
—Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 14 Mar. 2024
The league fines schools $100,000 for the first offense of fans storming the field or court, $250,000 for the second and $500,000 for subsequent offenses.
—Staff Report, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2024
Her ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman takes the girls to school several days a week, and Kotb strives to pick them up every day as work allows.
—Charlotte Triggs, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024
Noun
Officials are also focusing on workforce development within their own school systems, trying to incentivize graduates to stay in Winslow instead of moving to the Phoenix area.
—Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 29 Apr. 2024
In another episode, Fisher referenced the prison sentences of a Michigan school shooter’s parents who became the first in U.S. history to be convicted in a mass school shooting.
—Bill Lukitsch, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2024
The organizing groups, which include Students for Justice in Palestine chapters and the Students for Democratic Society at UW-Milwaukee, have pushed for their schools to cut ties with Israel.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, Journal Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2024
More practical gift card ideas include places for school supplies, like Staples or Teachers Pay Teachers, as well as gas stations and grocery stores.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 29 Apr. 2024
To close the set, the school kids were joined by former Super Bowl champions, as the NFL Players Choir led the ensemble through a pair of gospel numbers.
—Waiss Aramesh, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2024
There, the actor was in graduate school studying acting while Karim was an undergraduate student at N.Y.U.’s Experimental Theatre Wing.
—Erica Marrison, Peoplemag, 28 Apr. 2024
How school officials assess threats of violence Sid Bailey is the Arizona Department of Education's associate superintendent for school safety and discipline.
—Yana Kunichoff, The Arizona Republic, 17 Apr. 2024
And Janine is causing chaos, being self-involved, but under the guise of helping the school.
—Brande Victorian, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Apr. 2024
Verb
Local media were provided detailed briefings by party cadres typically schooled in deep secrecy.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
He had been schooled in graphic design and was working in advertising.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2024
The rooms—pared back and minimalist—with an outsized portrait of each child newly schooled—will be joined by 24 more plus a six-meter-long pool by the end of the year.
—Claire Boobbyer, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Apr. 2024
Unlike so many talented teenage tennis players who get home schooled at a young age and then turn pro as teenagers, Collins opted to play college tennis at the University of Florida and University of Virginia for four years before turning pro.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2024
He was schooled in acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and also, less formally, in New York theaters.
—Matt Twomey, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Smaller reds, however, often school up in the backcountry shallows, providing some of the best sight-fishing opportunities of the year.
—Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 14 Mar. 2024
The league fines schools $100,000 for the first offense of fans storming the field or court, $250,000 for the second and $500,000 for subsequent offenses.
—Staff Report, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2024
Her ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman takes the girls to school several days a week, and Kotb strives to pick them up every day as work allows.
—Charlotte Triggs, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'school.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near school
Cite this Entry
“School.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/school. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
school
1 of 3 noun1
a
: a place or establishment for teaching and learning
public schools
a music school
b
: a faculty or division within an institution for higher education devoted to teaching, study, and research in a particular area of knowledge : college
school of law
graduate school
2
a
: a session of school
missed school yesterday
b
c
: the students or students and teachers of a school
the whole school was at the assembly
3
: a group of persons having the same opinions and beliefs or accepting the same methods or leaders
also
: the shared opinions, beliefs, or methods of such a group
school
2 of 3 verb1
: to teach or drill in a specific skill or area of knowledge
well schooled in languages
2
: to discipline or make used to something
school oneself in patience
school
3 of 3 noun
: a large number of water-dwelling animals of one kind (as fish) swimming together
Etymology
Noun
Old English scōl "a place for learning," from Latin schola (same meaning), from Greek scholē "leisure, discussion, lecture, school"
Word Origin
The English word school comes from the Greek scholē. The original meaning of scholē was "leisure." To the Greeks it seemed natural that one's leisure should be spent learning and thinking. Scholē therefore came to mean not only "leisure" but also "a place for learning." Many Greeks were later employed by the Romans as teachers, and the Romans borrowed the Greek word as schola. The Latin word schola in time came into Old English as scōl.
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