noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Canada, US:/ˈkɪndəɹˌɡɑːɹt(ə)n/
Canada, US:/ˈkɪndəɹˌɡɑːɹd(ə)n/
Canada, US:[ˈkhɪn(d)əɹˌɡɑːɹt̬(ə)n]
Canada, US:[ˈkhɪɾ̃əɹˌɡɑːɹʔn̩]
UK:/ˈkɪndəˌɡɑːt(ə)n/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)tən
CMU ARPABET:K IH1 N D ER0 G AA2 R T AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
An educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6; nursery school.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Australia, Canada, India, UK, US, historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: preschool, nursery school, KG
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The elementary school grade before first grade.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Canada, India, New-South-Wales, US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: reception
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The two levels between nursery and prep; the second and third years of preschool.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Philippines
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
a preschool for children age 4 to 6 to prepare them for primary school
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: preschool
History
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from German Kindergarten (“kindergarten”, literally “garden of children”), coined by German pedagogue Friedrich Fröbel in 1840.
Across languages
Translations
168 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Afrikaans:
kleuterskool
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Albanian:
kopsht
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Albanian:
çerdhe
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Arabic:
رَوْضَة
(rawḍa)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Arabic:
رَوْضَة أَطْفَال
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Arabic:
رِيَاض أَطْفَال
(riyāḍ ʔaṭfāl)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Arabic:
رِيَاض
(riyāḍ)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Arabic:
حَضَانَة
(ḥaḍāna)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Arabic:
دَار حَضَانَة
(dār ḥaḍāna)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Arabic:
روضة
(rōḏ̣a)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Arabic:
روض
(rūḍ)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Arabic:
رَوْضَة
(rawḍa)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Armenian:
մանկապարտեզ
(mankapartez)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Azerbaijani:
uşaq bağçası
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Azerbaijani:
bağça
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Bashkir:
балалар баҡсаһы
(balalar baqsahı)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Belarusian:
дзіця́чы сад
(dzicjáčy sad)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Bengali:
কিণ্ডারগার্টেন
(kinḍargarṭen)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Bulgarian:
де́тска гради́на
(détska gradína)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Burmese:
သူငယ်တန်း
(su-ngaitan:)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Catalan:
llar d'infants
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Catalan:
escola bressol
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Chechen:
берийн баьш
(beriı̇n bäš)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Chechen:
берийн беш
(beriı̇n beš)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Chinese Mandarin:
幼兒園 /幼儿园
(yòu'éryuán)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Chinese Mandarin:
幼稚園 /幼稚园
(yòuzhìyuán)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Chuvash:
ача панчи
(ač̬a p̬anč̬i)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Czech:
mateřská škola
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Czech:
školka
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Danish:
børnehave
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Dutch:
kleuterschool
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Erzya:
эйкакшпире
(ejkakšpire)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Esperanto:
infanĝardeno
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Esperanto:
antaŭlernejo
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Estonian:
lasteaed
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Faroese:
dagstovnur
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Faroese:
barnagarður
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Finnish:
esikoulu
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Finnish:
päiväkoti
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Finnish:
lastentarha
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Finnish:
tarha
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
French:
maternelle
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
French:
jardin d'enfants
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
French:
école maternelle
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Georgian:
საბავშვო ბაღი
(sabavšvo baɣi)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
German:
Vorschule
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
German:
Kindergarten
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Greek:
νηπιαγωγείο
(nipiagogeío)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Greenlandic:
børnehave
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Greenlandic:
paaqqinniffik
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Greenlandic:
meeqqerivik
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Hebrew:
גַּן
(gan)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Hebrew:
גַן יְלָדִים
(gan y'ladím)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Hindi:
किंडरगार्टन
(kiṇḍargārṭan)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Hindi:
शिशूद्यान
(śiśūdyān)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Hindi:
बालवाड़ी
(bālvāṛī)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Hungarian:
óvoda
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Icelandic:
leikskóli
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Ido:
infanto-skolo
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Ido:
infant-azilo
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Indonesian:
taman kanak-kanak
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Indonesian:
raudatul athfal
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Italian:
asilo
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Japanese:
幼稚園
(yōchien)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Javanese:
ꦪꦺꦴꦒꦺꦴꦢꦾꦤ
(yogodyana)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Kashubian:
dzecnica
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Kazakh:
балабақша
(balabaqşa)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Khmer:
សាលាមត្តេយ្យ
(saalaamattəy)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Khmer:
មត្តេយ្យសាលា
(mattəyyĕəʼsaalaa)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Korean:
유치원
(yuchiwon)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Korean:
유아원
(yuawon)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Kumyk:
яшлар баву
(yaşlar bawu)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Central Kurdish:
باخچەی منداڵان
(baxçey mindallan)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Northern Kurdish:
zarrokistan
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Northern Kurdish:
zarrokxane
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Kyrgyz:
балдар бакчасы
(baldar bakcası)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Lao:
ໂຮງຮຽນອະນຸບານ
(hōng hīan ʼa nu bān)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Latvian:
bērnudārzs
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Lithuanian:
vaikų darželis
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Luxembourgish:
Spillschoul
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Macedonian:
детска градинка
(detska gradinka)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Malay:
tadika
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Malay:
taman didikan kanak-kanak
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Malay:
tabika
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Malay:
taman bimbingan kanak-kanak
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Malay:
kindergarten
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Mongolian:
хүүхдийн цэцэрлэг
(xüüxdiin cecerleg)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Norwegian Bokmål:
barnehage
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Norwegian Nynorsk:
barnehage
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Pannonian Rusyn:
дзецинска заградка
(dzecinska zahradka)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Pashto:
کودکستان
(kodakestān)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Pashto:
وړکتون
(waṛaktun)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Iranian Persian:
کودَکِسْتان
(kudakestân)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Iranian Persian:
مَهْدِ کودَک
(mahd-e kudak)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Iranian Persian:
مَهْد
(mahd)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Polish:
przedszkole
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Polish:
dzieciniec
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Portuguese:
jardim de infância
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Portuguese:
parquinho
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Portuguese:
infantário
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Punjabi:
ਕਿੰਡਰਗਾਰਟਨ
(kiṇḍragārṭan)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Romanian:
grădiniță
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Romanian:
grădiniță de copii
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Russian:
де́тский сад
(détskij sad)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Russian:
детса́д
(detsád)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Russian:
детса́дик
(detsádik)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Russian:
де́тский са́дик
(détskij sádik)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Russian:
сад
(sad)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Russian:
са́дик
(sádik)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Northern Sami:
mánáidgárdi
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Serbo-Croatian:
вр̀тић
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Serbo-Croatian:
о̀бданӣште
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Serbo-Croatian:
за̀бавӣште
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Serbo-Croatian:
прѐдшко̄ла
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Serbo-Croatian:
vr̀tić
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Serbo-Croatian:
òbdanīšte
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Serbo-Croatian:
zàbavīšte
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Serbo-Croatian:
prèdškōla
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Slovak:
materská škola
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Slovene:
vrtec
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Spanish:
parvulario
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Spanish:
jardín de infancia
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Spanish:
jardín infantil
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Spanish:
kínder
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Spanish:
jardín de niños
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Spanish:
kindergarten
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Spanish:
guardería
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Spanish:
nido
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Spanish:
jardín de infantes
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Swahili:
shule ya chekechea
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Swedish:
daghem
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Swedish:
dagis
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Swedish:
förskola
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Swedish:
lekis
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Swedish:
lekskola
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Tajik:
кӯдакистон
(küdakiston)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Tajik:
боғчаи бачагон
(boġča-yi bačagon)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Tajik:
боғчаи бачагона
(boġča-yi bačagona)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Tajik:
боғча
(boġča)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Tajik:
боғчаи кӯдакона
(boġča-yi küdakona)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Tatar:
балалар бакчасы
(balalar baqçası)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Thai:
โรงเรียนอนุบาล
(roong-riian-à-nú-baan)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Turkish:
anaokulu
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Turkmen:
çagalar bagy
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Ukrainian:
дитя́чий сад
(dytjáčyj sad)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Ukrainian:
дитя́чий садо́к
(dytjáčyj sadók)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Ukrainian:
дитсадо́к
(dytsadók)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Urdu:
کِنْڈَرْگارْٹَن
(kinḍargārṭan)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Urdu:
کودکستاں
(kaudakistā̃)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Urdu:
پرورش گاہ
(parvariś-gāh)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Urdu:
پرورش خانہ
(parvariś-xāna)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Uyghur:
بالىلار باغچىسى
(balilar baghchisi)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Uzbek:
bolalar bogʻchasi
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Vietnamese:
mẫu giáo
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Vietnamese:
nhà trẻ
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Vietnamese:
vườn trẻ
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Volapük:
putajul
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Yiddish:
קינדערגאָרטן
(kindergortn)
— educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6
Danish:
børnehaveklasse
— the elementary school grade before first grade
Finnish:
esikoulu
— the elementary school grade before first grade
Greek:
νηπιαγωγείο
(nipiagogeío)
— the elementary school grade before first grade
Macedonian:
забавиште
(zabavište)
— the elementary school grade before first grade
Polish:
zerówka
— the elementary school grade before first grade
Portuguese:
jardim
— the elementary school grade before first grade
Portuguese:
parquinho
— the elementary school grade before first grade
Spanish:
kínder
— the elementary school grade before first grade
Spanish:
preescolar
— the elementary school grade before first grade
Turkish:
anasınıfı
— the elementary school grade before first grade
