Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

school

/skul/

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.71 in modern English

Syllables
school
IPA
/skul/
11
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
1
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An institution dedicated to teaching and learning; an educational institution.

Canadian usage; Indian usage; American usage; Countable; Uncountable

noun

An educational institution providing primary and secondary education, prior to tertiary education (college or university).

British usage; Countable; Uncountable

noun

At Eton College, a period or session of teaching.

British usage; Countable; Uncountable

noun

Within a larger educational institution, an organizational unit, such as a department or institute, which is dedicated to a specific subject area.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

An art movement, a community of artists.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The followers of a particular doctrine; a particular way of thinking or particular doctrine; a school of thought.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The time during which classes are attended or in session in an educational institution.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The room or hall in English universities where the examinations for degrees and honours are held.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English scole, from Old English scōl (“place of education”), from Proto-West Germanic *skōlu, from Late Latin schola, scola (“learned discussion or dissertation, lecture, school”), from Ancient Greek σχολή (skholḗ, “spare time, leisure”), from Proto-Indo-European *seǵʰ- (“to hold, have, possess”). Doublet of schola and shul. Compare Old Frisian skūle, schūle (“school”) (West Frisian skoalle, Saterland Frisian Skoule), Dutch school (“school”), Low German School (“school”), Old High German scuola (“school”), German Schule (“school”), Old Norse skóli (“school”). Influenced in some senses by Middle English schole (“group of persons, host, company”), from Middle Dutch scole (“multitude, troop, band”). See school (“group”). Related also to Old High German sigi (German Sieg, “victory”), Old English siġe, sigor (“victory”).

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /skul/
  • British English: /skuːl/

Usage

Inflected Forms

schools (plural) schole (alternative, obsolete) schools (present, singular) schooling (participle, present) schooled (participle, past) schooled (past) skull (alternative, obsolete)

Derived Forms

nonschool schoolbag schoolbook schoolboy schoolchild schoolday schoolfellow schoolfriend schoolgirl schoolground schoolkid schoolma'am

Phrases

academy school after-school after school special after-school special aided school Alexandrian school all-through school alternative school

Frequently Paired Words

education :Category:Schools Appendix:Roget MICRA thesaurus/Class IV § 542. School Appendix:Moby Thesaurus II/36 § graduate school Appendix:Moby Thesaurus II/39 § high school Appendix:Moby Thesaurus II/46 § junior high school Appendix:Moby Thesaurus II/52 § middle school Appendix:Moby Thesaurus II/57 § normal school

Synonyms

academy college university department faculty institute shoal school

Rhymes With

home-school old-school you'll cool rule pool tool fool istanbul abdul stool preschool

Questions

How do you pronounce school?
The recorded pronunciation is /skul/.
What does school mean?
An institution dedicated to teaching and learning; an educational institution.
Where does school come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce school

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “school”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/skul/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “school”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “school” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.