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kindergarten

American  
[kin-der-gahr-tn, -dn] / ˈkɪn dərˌgɑr tn, -dn /

noun

  1. a school or class for young children between the ages of four and six years.

kindergarten British  
/ ˈkɪndəˌɡɑːtən /

noun

  1. Often shortened to (in Australia and New Zealand): kinder.   kindy.   kindie.  a class or small school for young children, usually between the ages of four and six to prepare them for primary education

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • kindergartener noun
  • prekindergarten noun

Etymology

Origin of kindergarten

1850–55; < German: literally, children's garden, equivalent to Kinder children ( kind 2 ) + Garten garden

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Then the state’s rollout of public school transitional kindergarten made enrolling 4-year-olds more difficult.

From Los Angeles Times

Profoundly religious and an early advocate of the kindergarten movement in America, Bradley developed his game for children as much as their parents.

From The Wall Street Journal

In New Jersey, kindergarten teacher Tahnaira Clark said she has seen more challenging behaviors with her current class of “COVID babies” than previous groups.

From Los Angeles Times

For the first time since before kindergarten, I don’t have a central organizing force around which to arrange my life.

From The Wall Street Journal

Bassist James Kee is an educator who has taught kindergarten through fourth grade for the last 15 years.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.