Meaning & use
senior high school
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable or uncountable
A school for older teenagers, usually the last three or four years before college or university.
Grammar: Can be used with 'a' when talking about one particular school, or without an article when talking about the general stage of education.
Patterns
- go to senior high school
- attend senior high school
- a senior high school student
My sister starts senior high school next year.
He teaches math at a senior high school in Ohio.
In many places, senior high school covers grades nine through twelve.
noununcountable
The period of education that students receive at this type of school.
Grammar: Used without an article to talk about the experience or stage in general.
Patterns
- during senior high school
- finish senior high school
She was very shy during senior high school.
After senior high school, he plans to study engineering.
Word forms
| plural | senior high schools |
|---|
Common combinations
- senior high school student
- The senior high school students are preparing for their final exams.
- senior high school diploma
- He earned his senior high school diploma last June.
- senior high school teacher
- She works as a senior high school teacher in a small town.
- enter senior high school
- Students enter senior high school at around age fifteen.
Synonyms and how they differ
- high school
- In American English, 'high school' often includes both junior and senior high, so it can be broader than 'senior high school'.
- secondary school
- This is the usual British term for the stage after primary school; it can cover a wider age range than 'senior high school'.
Word family
- senior adjective
- Older or higher in rank, as in 'senior students'.
- high school noun
- A school for teenagers, often including the senior years.
Commonly confused: senior high school or junior high school?
senior high school vs junior high school
This is the school for younger teenagers, usually grades 7–8 or 7–9, before senior high school.
Practice
In the U.S. school system, which grades does senior high school typically include?
Choose one answer.
Senior high school is the last stage of secondary education, covering grades 9–12. Grades 6–8 are usually junior high or middle school, and college comes after senior high school.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “senior high school”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.