kindergarten

noun

kin·​der·​gar·​ten ˈkin-dər-ˌgär-tᵊn How to pronounce kindergarten (audio)
ˈkin-də-, 
-dᵊn
plural kindergartens
Synonyms of kindergartennext
: a school or class for children usually from five to six years old

Examples of kindergarten in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Traditional public school enrollment for kindergarten and first grade is 25% lower than enrollment in the high school grades. — Austin Horn, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026 An adapted version based on play is being introduced in kindergartens this year for pre-school children. — Bloomberg, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026 Serving as the territory’s secretary of education between 2013 and 2017, overseeing all of its public schools from kindergarten through high school, he was recruited to Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 as a teacher. — Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 Wilson went through the inventory and weeded out 12 that were originally from Avon schoolhouses in various sizes from a kindergarten age up until eighth-grade range. — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for kindergarten

Word History

Etymology

German, from Kinder children + Garten garden

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kindergarten was in 1851

Rhymes for kindergarten

See All Rhymes for kindergarten

Browse Nearby Words

kinderbeweijs
kindergarten
kindergartner
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kindergarten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kindergarten. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

kindergarten

noun
kin·​der·​gar·​ten ˈkin-də(r)-ˌgärt-ᵊn How to pronounce kindergarten (audio)
-ˌgärd-
: a school or class for very young children
Etymology

from German kindergarten "a school for very young children," from kinder "children" and garten "garden"

More from Merriam-Webster on kindergarten

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for kindergarten

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about kindergarten

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