Synonyms

old school

American

noun

advocates or supporters of established custom or of conservatism.

a military man of the old school.

old school British

noun

a school formerly attended by a person
a group of people favouring traditional ideas or conservative practices

"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

old-school adjective

Etymology

Origin of old school

First recorded in 1790–1800

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.

However, one soft drinks firm in the Midwest is keeping old school tradition alive by continuing to sell its products in returnable glass bottles.

From BBC

Giardina’s prescription, and that of many other liberals and progressives in the region, is straightforward — and old school.

From Salon

It was, undeniably, an "old school cup tie" - one which both managers agreed provided "a bit of a throwback".

From BBC

For dinner, I went old school at À La Renaissance, a century-old, recently revived bistro with chunky terrazzo floors and burgundy banquettes.

From The Wall Street Journal

My younger brother is like, “Hey, man, I just went in for a test, and they’re telling me I got to have an old school triple bypass,” and then that’s what we all get tested.

From Los Angeles Times

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