schoolmarm
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A female teacher, especially one seen to be old-fashioned and extremely severe and strict.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
The schoolmarm came to an abrupt stop in her arithmetic quizzing, her face set into a pruny scowl that looked to be permanent.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “schoolmarm” mean?
A female teacher, especially one seen to be old-fashioned and extremely severe and strict.
Is “schoolmarm” formal or informal?
schoolmarm is generally slang.