kindergarten

noun

kin·​der·​gar·​ten ˈkin-dər-ˌgär-tᵊn 

ˈkin-də-, 

-dᵊn

plural kindergartens

: a school or class for children usually from five to six years old

Examples of kindergarten in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The numbers indicate that more than a quarter of a million children entering kindergarten are susceptible to measles, said Campbell, a University of Maryland researcher who is chair of the AAP's infectious diseases committee. — CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026

What does a child need to prepare themselves for kindergarten? — Liz Rosenberg, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2026

Right now, only 44 percent of Florida children are kindergarten ready. — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026

The two met in kindergarten in Los Angeles and made their first horror film at age eight. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

German, from Kinder children + Garten garden

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for kindergarten

• carton
• garten
• marten
• parton
• spartan
• tartan

Kids Definition

kindergarten

noun

kin·​der·​gar·​ten ˈkin-də(r)-ˌgärt-ᵊn 

-ˌgärd-

: a school or class for very young children

Etymology

from German kindergarten "a school for very young children," from kinder "children" and garten "garden"