schooling

UK: /ˈskuːlɪŋ/ US: (sko̅o̅′ling)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

school•ing  (sko̅o̅′ling), n. 

1. Education the process of being taught in a school.
2. Education instruction, education, or training, esp. when received in a school.
3. Education the act of teaching.
4. [Archaic.] a reprimand.

• late Middle English scoling. See school¹, -ing¹ 1400–50

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

schooling / ˈskuːlɪŋ/ noun

1. education, esp when received at school
2. the process of teaching or being taught in a school
3. the training of an animal, esp of a horse for dressage
4. an archaic word for reprimand

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

school¹ /skul/  n. 

1. Education a place for teaching people under college age:
   [countable] His children went to a private school.
   [uncountable] Are your children old enough to go to school?
2. a college or university:
   [countable] Yale is a prestigious school.
   [uncountable] He went to school at Yale.
3. Education an academic department for instruction in a particular field:
   [countable] the school of liberal arts and sciences.
4. Education a program of studies:
   [uncountable] He's studying in art school.
   [countable] He's enrolled in an art school.
5. Education the activity of teaching or of learning under instruction:
   [uncountable] School doesn't start until September.
6. Education the body of people belonging to an educational institution:
   [countable] The whole school applauded.
7. a group of pupils having a certain master, system, etc.:
   [countable] the Platonic school of philosophy.

adj. [before a noun]

8. Education of or connected with a school or schools.

v. [~ + object]

9. Education to educate in or as if in a school;
   teach:
   schooled him in magic and sorcery.

See -schol-.
school² /skul/  n. [countable]

1. Animal Behavior a large number of fish, porpoises, etc., feeding or traveling together.

v. [no object]

2. Animal Behavior to form into, or go in, a school, such as fish.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

school¹  (sko̅o̅l), n. 

1. Education an institution where instruction is given, esp. to persons under college age:
   The children are at school.
2. Education an institution for instruction in a particular skill or field.
3. Education a college or university.
4. Education a regular course of meetings of a teacher or teachers and students for instruction;
   program of instruction:
   summer school.
5. Education a session of such a course:
   no school today; to be kept after school.
6. Education the activity or process of learning under instruction, esp. at a school for the young:
   As a child, I never liked school.
7. Education one's formal education:
   They plan to be married when he finishes school.
8. Education a building housing a school.
9. Education the body of students, or students and teachers, belonging to an educational institution:
   The entire school rose when the principal entered the auditorium.
10. Education a building, room, etc., in a university, set apart for the use of one of the faculties or for some particular purpose:
    the school of agriculture.
11. Education a particular faculty or department of a university having the right to recommend candidates for degrees, and usually beginning its program of instruction after the student has completed general education:
    medical school.
12. any place, situation, etc., tending to teach anything.
13. the body of pupils or followers of a master, system, method, etc.:
    the Platonic school of philosophy.
14. Fine Art [Art.]
    • a group of artists, as painters, writers, or musicians, whose works reflect a common conceptual, regional, or personal influence:
      the modern school; the Florentine school.
    • the art and artists of a geographical location considered independently of stylistic similarity:
      the French school.
15. any group of persons having common attitudes or beliefs.
16. Military parts of close-order drill applying to the individual (school of the soldier), the squad (school of the squad,) or the like.
17. British Terms [Australian and New Zealand Informal.] a group of people gathered together, esp. for gambling or drinking.
18. schools, [Archaic.] the faculties of a university.
19. [Obs.] the schoolmen in a medieval university.

adj. 

20. Education of or connected with a school or schools.
21. Education [Obs.] of the schoolmen.

v.t. 

22. Education to educate in or as if in a school;
    teach;
    train.
23. [Archaic.] to reprimand.

• Greek scholé̄ leisure employed in learning
• Latin schola
• Middle English scole (noun, nominal), Old English scōl bef. 900

school′a•ble, adj. 
school′less, adj. 
school′like′, adj. 

school²  (sko̅o̅l), n. 

1. Animal Behavior a large number of fish, porpoises, whales, or the like, feeding or migrating together.

v.i. 

2. Animal Behavior to form into, or go in, a school, as fish.

• Dutch school; cognate with Old English scolu troop; see shoal²
• Middle English schol(e) 1350–1400

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

school / skuːl/ noun

1. an institution or building at which children and young people usually under 19 receive education
2. (as modifier): school bus, school day
3. (in combination): schoolroom, schoolwork
4. a faculty, institution, or department specializing in a particular subject
5. the staff and pupils of a school
6. the period of instruction in a school or one session of this: he stayed after school to do extra work
7. a place or sphere of activity that instructs: the school of hard knocks
8. a body of people or pupils adhering to a certain set of principles, doctrines, or methods
9. a group of artists, writers, etc, linked by the same style, teachers, or aims
10. a style of life: a gentleman of the old school
11. a group assembled for a common purpose, esp gambling or drinking

verb (transitive)

1. to train or educate in or as in a school
2. to discipline or control
3. an archaic word for reprimand

Etymology: Old English scōl, from Latin schola school, from Greek skholē leisure spent in the pursuit of knowledge

school / skuːl/ noun

1. a group of porpoises or similar aquatic animals that swim together

verb

1. (intransitive) to form such a group

Etymology: Old English scolu shoal²