pupil
1 Americannoun
-
a person, usually young, who is learning under the close supervision of a teacher at school, a private tutor, or the like; student.
- Synonyms:
- novice, apprentice
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Civil Law. an orphaned or emancipated minor under the care of a guardian.
-
Roman Law. a person under the age of puberty orphaned or emancipated, and under the care of a guardian.
noun
noun
noun
-
a student who is taught by a teacher, esp a young student
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civil law Scots law a boy under 14 or a girl under 12 who is in the care of a guardian
Usage
What does pupil mean? A pupil is a person who is learning under a teacher or instructor. In this sense, pupil is often used when the student is young but does not strictly apply to young people. In legal terms, pupil can refer to a minor who is under the care of a legal guardian who is not one of their parents. In anatomy, a pupil is the opening in the iris of the eye. Light passes through the pupil into the retina at the back of the eyeball, where images are received. Example: I train my pupils to keep up on their readings by assigning them quizzes.
Synonym Usage
Pupil, disciple, scholar, student refer to a person who is the recipient of education or mentoring. A pupil is one under the close supervision of a teacher, either because of youth or of specialization in some branch of study: a grade-school pupil; the pupil of a famous musician. A disciple is one who follows the teachings or doctrines of a person whom they consider to be a master or authority: a disciple of Swedenborg. Scholar, once meaning the same as pupil, is today usually applied to one who has acquired wide erudition in some field of learning: a great Latin scholar. A student is a person attending an educational institution or someone who has devoted much attention to a particular problem: a college student; a student of politics.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pupil1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English pupille, from Middle French, from Latin pūpillus (masculine), pūpilla (feminine) “orphan, ward,” diminutives of pūpus “boy,” pūpa “girl”
Origin of pupil2
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin pūpilla literally, little doll; for sense compare Greek kórē girl, doll, pupil of the eye, alluding to the tiny reflections visible in the pupils. See pupa
Explanation
A pupil is an old-fashioned word for a young person attending school, or it can be that black dot in the center of your eye's iris. As a pupil, your pupils may dilate when your teacher dims the lights. If you are a pupil, you are a learner enrolled in an educational institution. As a pupil, you have mastered the act of looking interested while thinking about the beach. Your pupil is also the aperture or opening in the center of your eye that looks like a big black dot. Dilating pupils are a very subtle sign that you are interested, lying, or pretending — or just trying to see in poor lighting.
Vocabulary lists containing pupil
"Tinker v. Des Moines": Excerpts from Justice Black's Dissenting Opinion
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Psychology
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"Charlotte's Web": Chapter One
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She said Williams asked her if she was "ok" and was persistent in asking her if she was "ok" and Pupil A told Williams she was and wanted to play on.
From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026
Pupil A described Williams as being "unprofessional" at the tournament.
From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026
During an investigation by the school, one student, referred to as Pupil A, said Blackmore had invited the group to meet her dog in the school holidays.
From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026
Pupil Alesha, 14, says singing in the school choir brings everyone together.
From BBC • Jan. 26, 2026
Pupil very dilated and insensitive, the globe painful to the touch, and injected.
From Neuralgia and the Diseases that Resemble it by Anstie, Francis E.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
