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.
The company’s facilities include kindergartens, schools and technical training institutes, with more on the way. — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026 Ethan Russell, who runs a commercial film production company with his brother in Dumbo, moved into a three-bedroom, two-bath at Union Channel with his wife and kindergarten-age daughter last June. — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 9 Oct. 2026 Obama said Bottoms would work to guarantee pre-kindergarten for every 4-year-old. — Christopher Harris, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026 For context, a child starting kindergarten this fall will be 26 that year. — Mark McNees, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 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 14 Oct. 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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