variants or schoolma'am
1
: a woman who is a schoolteacher especially in a rural or small-town school
2
: a person who exhibits characteristics attributed to schoolteachers (such as strict adherence to arbitrary rules)

Examples of schoolmarm 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.
University deans, schoolmarms and human resources managers penned dress codes outright forbidding the garment or relegating it to certain areas. The Conversation, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2023 Visitors can relive a school experience from the early 20th century, complete with a schoolmarm and an outhouse. Jshortavon, cleveland, 23 July 2023

Word History

Etymology

school + marm, alteration of ma'am

First Known Use

1831, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of schoolmarm was in 1831

Dictionary Entries Near schoolmarm

Cite this Entry

“Schoolmarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/schoolmarm. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

variants or schoolma'am
: a woman who is a schoolteacher especially in a rural or small-town school

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