a secondary school offering both academic and nonacademic courses
composite school in American English
Canadian
a secondary school offering commercial and industrial as well as academic courses
composite school in American English
noun
(in Canada)
a secondary school offering academic, commercial, and industrial subjects
Also called: comprehensive school
Word origin
[1940–45]This word is first recorded in the period 1940–45. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: blockbuster, debrief, snorkel, update, whiteout