lagere

Lagere is a Dutch adjective meaning lower or lower-tier. It is used to describe position, rank, or level relative to a higher category. The form lagere can function as the attributive adjective before a noun in certain grammatical contexts, as in lagere rangen (lower ranks) or lagere kosten (lower costs). The word derives from laag meaning low, with the suffix -ere, a productive pattern in Dutch for forming relational or comparative adjectives.

In historical Dutch usage, the term lagere appears in education as the phrase lagere school, referring to the elementary or primary school level. In the Netherlands and in Flemish contexts, the lagere school was part of the 19th- and 20th-century education system and typically covered the early years of formal schooling before students moved on to secondary education. Reforms in the latter half of the 20th century introduced the term basisschool as the standard label for primary education, and the phrase lagere school became largely obsolete outside historical references.

Present-day usage of lagere is mainly as a general descriptive adjective in fixed phrases, or as the comparative form of laag in everyday language (for example, lagere kwaliteit or lagere kosten). It is not used to denote a specific modern institution, except when quoting historical contexts or discussing older educational structures. The term remains common in linguistic and historical discussions about Dutch language and education.