elementary
adjective
el·e·men·ta·ry
ˌe-lə-ˈmen-tə-rē 
-ˈmen-trē
1
a
: of, relating to, or dealing with the simplest elements or principles of something
b
: of or relating to an elementary school
Examples of elementary in a Sentence
He is lacking even the most elementary notions of fairness.
The researchers made an elementary error.
He has an elementary understanding of calculus.
Recent Examples on the Web
What To Know The growing resistance to phones on school grounds has been burgeoning since Florida enacted statewide changes in elementary and middle schools in 2023.
—
Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
Queen, an elementary schooler at the time, preferred to play at Goldilocks, another neighborhood court five blocks away.
—Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 25 June 2025
Roper, an Air Force veteran, coached elementary and middle school baseball teams for almost 10 years, and leaves his wife, Erica Roper, and two sons, Ethan and Liam.
—Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 23 June 2025
Debates over integration are far from settled Last year, before President Trump took office, Concordia Parish rejected a Justice Department plan that would have ended its case if the district combined several majority white and majority Black elementary and middle schools.
—Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for elementary
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Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
Queen, an elementary schooler at the time, preferred to play at Goldilocks, another neighborhood court five blocks away.
—Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 25 June 2025
Roper, an Air Force veteran, coached elementary and middle school baseball teams for almost 10 years, and leaves his wife, Erica Roper, and two sons, Ethan and Liam.
—Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 23 June 2025
Debates over integration are far from settled Last year, before President Trump took office, Concordia Parish rejected a Justice Department plan that would have ended its case if the district combined several majority white and majority Black elementary and middle schools.
—Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for elementary
Cite this Entry
“Elementary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elementary. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
elementary
adjective
el·e·men·ta·ry
ˌel-ə-ˈment-ə-rē
-ˈmen-trē
1
: of or relating to the simplest principles of a subject
2
: of, relating to, or teaching the basic subjects of education
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