school-marm

A school-marm teaches her students in a one-room schoolhouse.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A female schoolteacher, especially one regarded as strict or prim: "school-marm" refers to a woman who teaches in a school, often stereotyped as being old-fashioned, strict, and morally proper.
   • A person who is overly formal, prudish, or pedantic: By extension, "school-marm" can describe anyone, male or female, who behaves in a fussy, authoritarian, or overly correct manner, especially in matters of etiquette or learning.

Usage Examples

• (A strict female teacher.)
• (A person who is overly pedantic or formal.)

Advanced Usage

• "to play the school-marm": to adopt a scolding, didactic, or morally superior tone.
  • He always plays the school-marm when we discuss politics, lecturing us on proper facts. (He acts like a strict teacher.)

Variants and Related Words

• Schoolmarmish (adj): resembling or characteristic of a school-marm, especially in being strict, prim, or pedantic.

  • Her schoolmarmish attitude made the meeting feel like a classroom. (Her behavior was overly formal and scolding.)

• Schoolmarmy (adj): informal variant of "schoolmarmish."

  • The guide gave a schoolmarmy lecture on museum etiquette. (The lecture was fussy and instructional.)

Synonyms

• Schoolteacher: a general term for a teacher, but without the negative connotations.
• Prude: a person who is excessively proper or modest.
• Pedant: a person who is overly concerned with minor details and rules, especially in teaching.
• Taskmaster: a person who imposes strict discipline.

Related Idioms

• "Old schoolmarm": a cliché for a stereotypical strict female teacher from a bygone era.

  • She reminded me of an old schoolmarm, with her bun and rimless glasses. (A classic, old-fashioned teacher.)

• "School-marm manner": a way of speaking or acting that is patronizing or overly instructional.

  • His school-marm manner annoyed the students. (His tone was scolding and teacherly.)