Kindy

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A early childhood school program for young children, usually around four or five years old, before they begin primary school
2. An informal name in Australia and New Zealand for the first year of formal schooling for very young children
3. A pre-primary educational setting where small children learn through play and simple lessons before starting formal school

Etymology: The noun "kindy" is a clipping of "kindergarten," shortened and given the diminutive suffix "-y," the same ending found in words like "doggy" or "mummy." The result is a pet name for the place, the sort of nickname a child or parent might use for the school itself. "Kindergarten" is itself a German compound, meaning "children's garden," coined by Friedrich Fröbel for his early-years schools. Its first half, "Kinder," is the plural of "Kind" (child), and its second half, "Garten," means garden. The image of children being tended like young plants was central to Fröbel's educational philosophy. Shortening a long word and adding "-y" is a common way English speakers make familiar nicknames, and "kindy" follows that pattern. Its meaning stays close to the original: a young child's first school.

Synonyms: kindergarten, preschool, nursery school