schoolmarm

schoolmarm
or schoolma'am noun Etymology: school + marm, alteration of ma'am Date: 1831 1. a woman who is a schoolteacher especially in a rural or small-town school 2. a person who exhibits characteristics attributed to schoolteachers (as strict adherence to arbitrary rules) • schoolmarmish adjective

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • schoolmarm — (n.) also school marm, female school teacher, 1834, American English colloquial, in countrified humor writing of Major Jack Downing of Maine (Seba Smith); variant of school ma am (1828), Amer.Eng., from SCHOOL (Cf. school) (n.1) + MA AM (Cf. ma… …   Etymology dictionary

  • schoolmarm — ► NOUN chiefly N. Amer. ▪ a schoolmistress, especially one regarded as prim and strict …   English terms dictionary

  • schoolmarm — ☆ schoolmarm [sko͞ol′märm΄, sko͞ol′mäm΄ ] n. 1. Old fashioned a woman schoolteacher 2. Informal any person whose attitudes and behavior resemble those often attributed to schoolmarms, as pedantry, priggishness, or prudishness schoolmarmish adj …   English World dictionary

  • schoolmarm — UK [ˈskuːlˌmɑː(r)m] / US [ˈskulˌmɑrm] noun [countable] Word forms schoolmarm : singular schoolmarm plural schoolmarms informal a woman who is old fashioned, strict, and very easily shocked Derived word: schoolmarmish adjective …   English dictionary

  • schoolmarm — noun /ˈskulˌmɑɹm/ a) A woman who is a teacher, especially a teacher in a schoolhouse; may carry the connotation she is severe. The schoolmarm, running the old west one room school, is a stock character in western movies. b) A person, male or… …   Wiktionary

  • schoolmarm — schoolmarmish, adj. /skoohl mahrm /, n. Older Use. a female schoolteacher, esp. of the old time country school type, popularly held to be strict and priggish. Also, schoolma am. [1835 45, Amer.; var. of SCHOOLMA AM] * * * …   Universalium

  • schoolmarm — school|marm [ˈsku:lma:m US ma:rm] n [Date: 1800 1900; Origin: school + marm (19 21 centuries) (from ma am)] a woman who is considered to be old fashioned, strict, and easily shocked …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • schoolmarm — school|marm [ skul,marm ] noun count INFORMAL a woman who is old fashioned, strict, and very easily shocked ╾ school|marm|ish adjective …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • schoolmarm — school·marm || skuːlmÉ‘rm / mɑːm n. female schoolteacher, female instructor (esp. a strict one) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • schoolmarm — noun chiefly N. Amer. a schoolmistress, especially one regarded as prim and strict. Derivatives schoolmarmish adjective …   English new terms dictionary

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