old-school

IPA/ˈəʊld skuːl/
KK[ˌoldskˈul]IPA/ˈəʊld skuːl/

old-school — adjective

1. keeping to the methods, manners, or look of an earlier time, often because the s

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

keeping to the methods, manners, or look of an earlier time, often because the speaker admires how things used to be done.

Example

Mr. Lin runs an old-school barbershop with leather chairs and hot towels.

old-school + noun (admiring tone)

Grandma Chen is old-school about letters; she still writes by hand every week.

predicative: be old-school about + topic

Common collocations
  • old-school charm
  • old-school values
  • old-school cool
  • old-school discipline
Synonyms
  • traditional

    neutral and broader; 'old-school' adds a personal, often warm flavour

  • old-fashioned

    can sound mildly negative; 'old-school' is usually appreciative

  • classic

    stresses lasting quality; 'old-school' stresses an older era

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

old-school + noun

be old-school

Usage Note

Often carries a positive or affectionate tone, suggesting respect for older ways. When the speaker disapproves of being out-of-date, 'old-fashioned' or 'outdated' is the more neutral choice.

Common Mistakes

The phone is very old-school broken.
The phone is broken in an old-school way.
'old-school' modifies a noun or describes a whole style, not a single adjective like 'broken'.

old-school — phrase

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words point at things from earlier times, but the colour of each is different. 'Traditional' is neutral and the broadest — it simply states that a practice has been passed down. 'Old-fashioned' often hints that something is no longer practical or stylish, so it can sound mildly critical. 'Old-school' usually carries warmth or respect: it praises the old way for its solid craft, manners, or attitude. 'Classic' stresses lasting quality across periods — a classic suit looks right today. 'Vintage' is anchored to a specific past era and is mostly used for objects like clothes, cars, or wine. Compare: a 'traditional wedding' follows custom; an 'old-fashioned wedding' may sound stuffy; an 'old-school wedding' sounds charming; a 'classic wedding' looks timeless; a 'vintage wedding' has 1950s dresses.

old-school ↗old-fashioned ↗traditional ↗classic ↗vintage ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • very old-school
  • proudly old-school
  • refreshingly old-school

Phrases

  • a touch of old-school
  • good old-school
  • belong to the old school

Prepositions

  • old-school about
  • of the old school

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishModern English

The phrase 'the old school' has been used in English since the 1700s to mean a body of people trained in earlier ways, drawing on 'school' in the sense of a shared group of thinkers or artists. From the late twentieth century, 'old-school' began working as an adjective on its own, gaining popularity through hip-hop and sports culture in the United States, where it labelled music, moves, and attitudes from the genre's earlier years with a tone of respect.