middle school

American  

noun

1. a school intermediate between elementary school and high school, usually encompassing grades five or six through eight.

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middle school British  

noun

1. (in England and Wales) a school for children aged between 8 or 9 and 12 or 13 Compare first school

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Etymology

Origin of middle school

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

There was a year in middle school when I was sick often enough that the doctor’s office felt a bit like a second address.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

Cummins talked Mary Ann into taking the job, and before long, she joined the faculty of a brand-new middle school Cummins co-founded by the name of Crossroads.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2026

Only 43% of Chicago elementary and middle school students can read at grade level, and 27% were proficient in math on state tests in 2025.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

These include new requirements for schools to use “unified state-compiled textbooks” and for all students to have a fundamental grasp of standard Chinese by the time they finish middle school.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

Or maybe he’s wondering why he became a middle school principal in the first place.

From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell

Related Words

• junior high
• secondary school