tutor

American  

[too-ter, tyoo-] / ˈtu tər, ˈtyu- /

noun

1. a person employed to instruct another in some branch or branches of learning, especially a private instructor.

2. a teacher of academic rank lower than instructor in some American universities and colleges.

3. a teacher without institutional connection who assists students in preparing for examinations.

4. (especially at Oxford and Cambridge) a university officer, usually a fellow, responsible for teaching and supervising a number of undergraduates.

5. the guardian of a boy or girl below the age of puberty or majority.

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verb (used with object)

1. to act as a tutor to; teach or instruct, especially privately.

2. to have the guardianship, instruction, or care of.

3. to instruct underhandedly; coach.

   to tutor a witness before he testifies.

4. Archaic.

   1. to train, school, or discipline.

   2. to admonish or reprove.

verb (used without object)

1. to act as a tutor or private instructor.

2. to study privately with a tutor.

tutor British  

/ ˈtjuːtə /

noun

1. a teacher, usually instructing individual pupils and often engaged privately

2. (at universities, colleges, etc) a member of staff responsible for the teaching and supervision of a certain number of students

3. Scots law the guardian of a pupil See pupil 1

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verb

1. to act as a tutor to (someone); instruct

2. (tr) to act as guardian to; have care of

3. (intr) to study under a tutor

4. rare (tr) to admonish, discipline, or reprimand

Related Words

See teach.

Other Word Forms

• mistutor verb
• subtutor noun
• subtutorship noun
• tutorage noun
• tutorless adjective
• tutorship noun
• undertutor noun
• well-tutored adjective

Etymology

Origin of tutor

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin tūtor protector, equivalent to tū- (variant stem of tuērī to guard; tutelage ) + -tor -tor

Example Sentences

The typing tutor and vocab trainer were easy to make based on a description of the app and a few rounds of refinements.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

My son needed a typing tutor using meaningful sentences that would score his accuracy and speed.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

As an eighth grader, when she served as a math tutor, Miss Nenna thought about what went into becoming an effective teacher.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

Their father was a demanding but gifted tutor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

She had even enlisted the help of our cousin Missy, who had come up from Salt Lake City to tutor her.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

Related Words

• educator
• instructor
• lecturer
• mentor
• teacher