What is the Latin word for school?

The usual Latin words for “school” are schola, disciplīna, secō; also familia, assideō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“school” in Latin

scholaLeisure time given to learning; schooltime, classtime.; A school; a place for learning or instruction.; A student body; disciplīnateaching, instruction, education; training; learning, knowledge, discipline, science, study secōto cut, cut off; to cleave, divide; to operate, amputate, perform surgery familiaa household (all persons subject to the control of one man (whether relations, freedmen or slaves)); the slaves of a hou assideōto sit by or near someone or something; to be or stand by one's side; to take care of, attend upon or to

The English word school itself goes back to Latin schola.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

school s.

ludus discendi: ludus litterarum (a lower school for boys, who are compelled to learn): schola (a higher school for youths and men, who wish to learn). To go to or attend a school, in ludum litterarium itare (ire of a single time). To send anybody to school to anybody, aliquem alicujus institutioni committere; aliquem alicui in disciplinam tradere: to make a boy attend the public schools, aliquem scholarum frequentiae et velut publicis praeceptoribus tradere (i. e., in a place where public lectures are attended by a boy residing at home; opposed to aliquem domi atque inter privatos parietes studentem litteris continere); studia extra limen proferre (Plin.). To be in a school, in schola sedere or assidere: not to have left school, scholam nondum egressum esse: to attend anybody’s school, alicujus scholam frequentare (PROP.): in alicujus disciplinam se tradere (resolve to receive instruction for him). To attend school still (be still a pupil), scholae adhuc operari (Quint., 10, 3, 13). To leave school, scholam egredi (Quint.); divertere a schola et magistris (Suet., Vit., Pers., extr.). To give up a school, (resign the office of teacher), schoram dimittere: to open a school, ludum aperire (Cic., ad Div., 9, 18, 1): to keep school, ludum habere (Cic.), exercere (Tac.). Music school, ludus fidicinus (Plaut.). A public school, schola publica (late). Military school, ludus militaris. A schoolmaster, Vid: To have known a boy at school, puerum in ludo cognovisse (Nep.): to return home from school, ire e ludo domum (Plaut.). To tell tales out of school, dicta foras efferre, proferre. Rules of a school, *leges quae in schola valent or exercentur. Examination of a school, *tentatio scientiae discipulorum: school punishment, *poena in scholis usitata: school hours, schola.

Figuratively, This is a school of patience, *hac in re tentatur patientia nostra. I have learned in the school of experience, multis experimentis eruditus sum (after Plin., Ep., 1, 5, 16).

The followers of a teacher, schola (general term): disciplina (with reference to peculiar doctrines; especially of a philosophical sect): secta: familia (as opposed to other schools). The school of the Stoics, Stoicorum secta or familia. The founder of a school, scholae princeps or auctor. A philosopher of the Academic school, Academicae sectae philosophus. To belong to the school of Zeno, esse or profectum esse a Zenone: to be of the same school, ex eadem schola esse: to be superstitiously attached to a school, scholae me addixi velut quadam superstitione imbutus.

School-house, schola: *aedes scholarum.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for school?: The usual Latin words for “school” are schola, disciplīna, secō; also familia, assideō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.