late 14c., seccioun, in astronomy, "the intersection of two straight lines; a division of a scale;" from Old French section and directly from Latin sectionem (nominative sectio) "a cutting, cutting off, division," noun of action from past-participle stem of secare "to cut" (from PIE root *sek- "to cut").

 The meaning "a part cut off or separated from the rest" is from early 15c. That of "a drawing representing something as if cut through" is from 1660s. From 1550s in English in the meaning "act of cutting or dividing," a sense now rare or archaic and preserved in some medical phrases, most notably Caesarian section. The meaning "a subdivision of a written work, statute, etc." is from 1570s.

Books are commonly divided into Chapters, Chapters into Sections, and Sections into Paragraphs or Breaks, as Printers call them .... [Blount, "Glossigraphia," 1656]

In music, "a group of similar instruments in a band or orchestra" (1880). In U.S. history, a square of 640 acres into which public lands were divided (1785). In World War II U.S. military slang, section eight was a reference to the passage in an Army Regulations act that referred to discharge on grounds of insanity.

"large number, great multitude" (especially of fish), 1570s, a word of uncertain origin. It is apparently identical with Middle English scole "a troop, throng, crowd," from Old English scolu "band, troop, crowd of fish" (see school (n.2)), but it also might be a 16c. adoption of the cognate Middle Dutch schole.

1640s (in Latin form in English from 1580s), "continued discourse, critical dissertation" (senses now archaic), from French diatribe (15c.) and directly from Latin diatriba "learned discussion," from Greek diatribe "employment, study," in Plato, "discourse," literally "a wearing away (of time), a waste of time," from dia "away" (see dia-) + tribein "to wear, rub," from PIE root *tere- (1) "to rub, turn." For sense evolution, compare school (n.1).

The modern meaning "a strain of invective, a bitter and violent criticism" by 1804, apparently from French.

also home-school, by 1989 (implied in homeschooling), from home (n.) + school (v.). Related: Homeschooled.

in reference to a group of people noted for conservative views or principles on some professional or political matter, 1806, from the noun phrase, "party belonging to a former time or having the characteristics, manner, and opinions of a bygone age" (1749); see old + school (n.).

also pre-school, "of or pertaining to the time before a child is old enough for school," 1886, from pre- "before" + school (n.); the noun is from 1910, "a nursery school for children of preschool age." Related: pre-schooling; pre-schooler.

1570s, originally, in Britain, "a grammar school endowed for the benefit of the public," but most have evolved into boarding-schools for the well-to-do. From public (adj.) + school (n.1). The main modern meaning in U.S., "school (usually free) provided at public expense and run by local authorities," is attested from 1640s. 

consonant cluster that can represent five distinct sounds in English; it first was used by Middle English writers to render Old English sc-, a sound now generally pronounced (and spelled) "-sh-." Sometimes it was miswritten for ch. It also was taken in from German (schnapps) and Yiddish (schlemiel). In words derived from classical languages (school (n.1)), it represents Latin sch-, Greek skh-, but in some of these words the spelling is a restoration and the pronunciation does not follow it (as in schism; Middle English sisme, cisme).

The Yiddish words with it, often derisive or dismissive, tended to come into 20c. American English. In addition to those with entries here, Saul Bellow used schmegeggy, "Portnoy's Complaint" has schmatte "a ragged garment;" schmeck "a sniff" figures in heroin jargon, and schmutz "dirt, filth" has been used. Directly to English from German also are some specialized words: Schmelz "enamel," schmerz "grief, pain, sorrow," 

Middle English scolere, from Old English scolere "student, one who receives instruction in a school, one who learns from a teacher," from Medieval Latin scholaris, "a pupil, scholar," noun use of Late Latin scholaris "of a school," from Latin schola (see school (n.1), and compare scholastic).

The Medieval Latin word was widely borrowed (Old French escoler, French écolier, Old High German scuolari, German Schüler). Not common in English before 14c. and the modern use might be a reborrowing. In British English it typically has been restricted to those who attend a school on a scholarship (1510s).

The spelling in sch- begins to appear late 14c. The broader meaning "learned person," especially one having great knowledge of philosophy and classical literature, is from late 13c.

"head of a school," especially an Athenian school of philosophy, 1863, from Latinized form of Greek skholarkhēs, from skholē (see school (n.1)) + arkhein "to rule" (see archon). Also in modern use in reference to school inspectors in various districts on the continent.