old-school

1 of 2

adjective

1
: adhering to traditional policies or practices
an old-school coach
2
: characteristic or evocative of an earlier or original style, manner, or form
old-school music

old school

2 of 2

noun

: adherents of traditional policies and practices

Examples of old-school in a Sentence

Adjective an old-school romantic comedy in which the two leads don't jump into bed at the first opportunity an old-school gentleman who opened doors and pulled out chairs for women
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.
Adjective
More showrooms, then, and less reliance on online sales—old-school thinking. Carlton Reid, WIRED, 17 Jan. 2025 Nice white parents enroll their children; protests break out when a bougie juice bar threatens to replace an old-school deli; and Principal Ava (Janelle James), always a canny operator, helps her team blackmail the developer out of some fancy new computers for the kids. Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025 Christopher Walken keeps it old-school with his media consumption. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 17 Jan. 2025 This thoughtful tribute will surely please old-school soul and quiet-storm fans who are looking for another chance to celebrate one of their favorite artists. Britt Julious, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for old-school 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1803, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1749, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of old-school was in 1749

Dictionary Entries Near old-school

Cite this Entry

“Old-school.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/old-school. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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