secondary school

noun

1. a high school or a school of corresponding grade, ranking between a primary school and a college or university.

secondary school

noun

1. a school for young people, usually between the ages of 11 and 18

Other Words From

• second·ary-school adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of secondary school¹

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

Towards the end of her first year in secondary school, Christina was contacted by a teacher who said the school believed Mia was autistic.

From BBC

Marcus Goddard, who chairs the school’s governors, is about to start looking at secondary schools for his oldest child.

From BBC

"Going into secondary school where nobody knows you, nobody knows your circumstances, it was difficult for me," she said.

From BBC

The majority of suspensions and exclusions - around nine out of 10 - occur in secondary school, but numbers are rising among primary-age children too.

From BBC

After completing primary and secondary school in Ghana, Bawumia moved to the UK for undergraduate study and went on to gain a masters in economics from the prestigious Oxford University.

From BBC

Related Words

• high school
• junior high school
• middle school
• prep school
• preparatory school
• senior high school