scolaire

Scolaire is a French adjective meaning related to school or schooling. It is used to describe aspects of the education system, students, and academic life. Common expressions include année scolaire (the school year), niveau scolaire (grade level), matériel scolaire (school supplies), vie scolaire (school life), and institution scolaire (educational institution). The term appears in both official and everyday language and can function as a substantive in phrases such as le secteur scolaire.

The word derives from Latin schola via Old French, sharing roots with the English word school. The French form is produced with the ordinary adjectival suffix -aire, giving a term that denotes “pertaining to school.”

In usage, scolaire often contrasts with terms that emphasize higher or university-level study. It tends to refer to primary and secondary education, concrete schooling contexts, curricula, and administration, rather than purely scholarly or research-oriented activity.

Related noun forms include la scolarité, meaning the period or process of being schooled, and un niveau scolaire, indicating an educational level or grade.

See also: école, éducation, scolarité, manuel scolaire, matériel scolaire, institution scolaire.