preschool

1 of 2

adjective

pre·​school ˈprē-ˌskül 

(ˌ)prē-ˈskül

: of, relating to, or constituting the period in a child's life that ordinarily precedes attendance at elementary school

preschool

2 of 2

noun

pre·​school ˈprē-ˌskül 

: a school for children usually younger than those attending elementary school or kindergarten : nursery school

Synonyms of preschool

Noun

• nursery

Examples of preschool in a Sentence

Noun

children excited about starting preschool

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The feminine advantage, beginning with the first spoken word, increases with age, according to recent researches in the language development of preschool children, girls being first to employ phrases and using longer sentences. —Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 27 Feb. 2026

In preschool, he was given a wordless role as Farmer McGregor in a school production of Peter Rabbit and began hamming it up, counting the missing tomatoes and gesticulating at his nemesis rabbit. —Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026

Noun

Juri also enrolled in preschool at a local YMCA with the help of her literacy coordinator, Davis said. —CNN Money, 26 Feb. 2026

The preschool uses the Reggio Emilia approach to let children help direct their own lessons. —Trevor Sochocki, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1914, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1925, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for preschool

• ampoule
• bascule
• carpool
• cesspool
• ferrule
• footstool
• guayule
• lobule
• misrule
• pustule
• whirlpool
• boule

Kids Definition

preschool

1 of 2 adjective

pre·​school ˈprē-ˌskül 

: of, relating to, or being the period in a child's life to the age of five or six that ordinarily precedes attendance at school

preschool

2 of 2 noun

: a school for children usually younger than those attending elementary school or kindergarten : nursery school