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

Stone questioned whether i-Ready could be taken out of kindergarten through second grade classrooms or whether parents could opt out of the program. — Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 24 June 2026

The kids who don’t get that early education — those who begin school in kindergarten and haven’t built (English) reading skills at home — are more likely to start at a disadvantage. — Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 21 June 2026

Rooney is a creative alternative sure to stand out on the first day of kindergarten. — Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 20 June 2026

Keya Lowry says her daughter's involvement in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library through Reading Ready Pittsburgh enabled her little girl to be reading above a first-grade level on her first day of kindergarten. — Ross Guidotti, CBS News, 18 June 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"