The correct way to spell the term is high school as two separate words. Writing it as highschool is a common typo or informal shorthand, but standard English dictionaries and style guides don't recognize the single-word version as correct.
If you're writing an essay, a resume, or any professional document, you need to use two words. Let's look at why this rule exists, how compound nouns work in English, and when people usually make the mistake of combining them.
The Grammar Rule Behind High School
To understand why it's two words, you have to look at how English builds compound modifiers and noun phrases. In grammar, "high" is an adjective modifying the noun "school."
Think of similar educational terms. You wouldn't write middleschool, elementaryschool, or graduateschool. You write middle school, elementary school, and graduate school.
- Modifier: High (describing the level or tier of education)
- Head Noun: School (the institution itself)
Because "high" modifies "school" separately, they remain two distinct words. Major dictionaries like Merriam-Webster list the term exclusively with a space.
Why People Spell It Highschool
People often write highschool as one word because of how digital spaces work. When you're setting up an email address, building a website URL, or picking a social media handle, spaces aren't allowed.
- Domain Names: A site like
lincolnhighschool.comis much cleaner than trying to use hyphens or awkward spacing. - Social Media Handles: Character limits and username availability push users to smash words together on platforms like Instagram or X.
- Typing Speed: Fast typing on mobile keyboards often causes fingers to skip the spacebar between common word pairs.
Over time, seeing these single-word variants online tricks our brains into thinking the closed compound version is acceptable everywhere. It isn't. When the digital constraints disappear, the standard two-word spelling returns.
Compound Noun Evolution in English
English loves to squish words together over time. Linguish experts call this the shift from an open compound to a closed compound.
- Open Compound: Words start separate with a space (e.g., ice cream, post office, high school).
- Hyphenated Compound: Words get linked by a hyphen as they gain popularity (e.g., decision-maker).
- Closed Compound: Words merge entirely into one (e.g., keyboard, notebook, football).
While everyday terms like football made the full jump centuries ago, high school has stayed firmly in the open compound stage. Style guides from organizations like the Associated Press and The Chicago Manual of Style strictly reject the closed version for formal publications.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Writers usually slip up with this term in a few specific scenarios. Spotting these traps helps you catch errors before you hit submit on an assignment or job application.
Using It as an Adjective
A tricky spot happens when you describe something belonging to the institution. You might wonder if it becomes hyphenated or combined.
- Incorrect: He went to a highschool reunion.
- Incorrect: He went to a high-school reunion.
- Correct: He went to a high school reunion.
When used before another noun (like reunion, graduate, or teacher), "high school" functions as a noun adjunct. Even then, you keep the two words separate unless a specific style guide asks for a hyphen in a compound modifier setup (though standard American journalism usually leaves it unhyphenated).
Capitalization Errors
People also struggle with whether to capitalize the term. Unless it's part of a proper title, keep it lowercase.
- Incorrect: She is a senior at Central High School. (Correct if naming a specific school).
- Incorrect: She is a senior at High School. (Incorrect because it's a general noun).
- Correct: She is a senior in high school.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is highschool ever correct in Scrabble or word games?
No. Official tournament word lists for Scrabble and similar games treat highschool as an invalid word. You can only play "high" and "school" as separate plays.
Do British and American English differ on this spelling?
No. Both American and British English standards agree that it is two words. Oxford dictionaries and American dictionaries list it identically.
What about junior high school?
The same rule applies. Junior high school is always written as three separate words. You'll never see juniorhighschool in formal text.
How can I remember the correct spelling?
Remember that school is the main thing you're talking about, and high just describes it. Since they are two separate ideas, they stay as two separate words on the page.
