precollege

adjective

pre·col·lege ˌprē-ˈkä-lij

variants or pre-college

: occurring before college

precollege education

precollege engineering programs

: not yet attending college

precollege students

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of precollege was in 1903

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

precoital

precollege

precollegiate

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Precollege.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/precollege. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

impute

Listen to the pronunciation of impute

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Is 'Data' Singular or Plural?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

8 Words for the Wordy and Talking Too Much

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

10 Hella Good U.S. Regionalisms

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

8 Words for the Wordy and Talking Too Much

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language