schoolmaster

noun

school·​mas·​ter ˈskül-ˌma-stər How to pronounce schoolmaster (audio)
Synonyms of schoolmasternext
1
: a man who teaches school
2
: one that disciplines or directs
3
: a reddish-brown edible snapper (Lutjanus apodus) of the tropical Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico
schoolmasterish
ˈskül-ˌma-stə-rish How to pronounce schoolmaster (audio)
adjective
schoolmasterly adjective

Examples of schoolmaster 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.
On the other side of the room, a wooden schoolmaster’s desk is another cherished piece. — Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 20 June 2024 See Episode 5, where the killer frames a schoolmaster’s murder as suicide within a locked room, the laughably lazy explanation for which wouldn’t appear out of place in a pantomime. — Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 20 Mar. 2025 The struggle inspired a young Newcastle schoolmaster named Thomas Spence to develop the world’s first basic income proposal. — Will Glovinsky, The Conversation, 30 Mar. 2026 In the tiny community of Baile Beag, lessons bend to the hedge teacher’s whim—and, in this case, the white-bearded schoolmaster Hugh (Seán McGinley) loves the classics. — Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2023 See All Example Sentences for schoolmaster

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of schoolmaster was in the 13th century

Rhymes for schoolmaster

See All Rhymes for schoolmaster

Browse Nearby Words

schoolmarmish
schoolmaster
schoolmasterhood
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Schoolmaster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/schoolmaster. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

schoolmaster

noun
school·​mas·​ter -ˌmas-tər How to pronounce schoolmaster (audio)
: a man who teaches school

More from Merriam-Webster on schoolmaster

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for schoolmaster

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