English

old school

/ˈəʊl(d)skuːl/
Preceded by the: a group of people characterized by being conservative or traditional; also, a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era, remembered either for its inferiority to the current method, or for its superiority over the new way.

    Etymology graph

    • inherited
    • borrowed
    • derived
    • parts
    • meaning component
    • sound component
    • related
    React Flow

    Click a node to zoom in · double-click to open it

    Origin

    The noun is derived from old + school (“followers of a particular doctrine; particular doctrine or way of thinking”), probably a shortening of old school of thinking, old school of thought, or some similar phrase.

    The adjective is derived from the attributive form of the noun.

    From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Lineage

    • partEnglishold “Of an object, concept, relationship, etc., having existed for a relatively long period of time.”
      • inheritedMiddle Englishold
        • inheritedOld Englishald “old”
      • derivedEnglishyoung “In the early part of growth or life; born not long ago.”
        • inheritedMiddle Englishyong
    • partEnglishschool “An institution dedicated to teaching and learning; an educational institution.”
      • inheritedMiddle Englishscole
        • inheritedOld Englishscōl “place of education”
        • derivedMiddle Dutchscole “multitude, troop, band”

    Sources