old-school

1 of 2

adjective

1
: adhering to traditional policies or practices
an old-school coach
2
: characteristic or evocative of an earlier or original style, manner, or form
old-school music

old school

2 of 2

noun

: adherents of traditional policies and practices

Examples of old-school in a Sentence

Adjective an old-school romantic comedy in which the two leads don't jump into bed at the first opportunity an old-school gentleman who opened doors and pulled out chairs for women
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Keeping with tradition, ADD Drug’s menu has remained relatively unchanged over the past six decades—including the old-school prices. Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025 Its old-school cream accents harken back to the decal patterns Honda boasted on its CB models of the 1960s and 1970s. New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2025 Lee wore a red polo shirt and an old-school New York Giants cap (repping the baseball team, not the football team). Naaman Zhou, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2025 The accompanying video, directed by Charlotte Rutherford, fittingly harkens back to videos of the same era, as Puth embarks on a goofy adventure through a pre-digital world filled with charming claymation figurines and old-school stop motion effects. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for old-school

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1803, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1749, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of old-school was in 1749

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Cite this Entry

“Old-school.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/old-school. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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