pupil

¹

[pyoo-puhl]

noun

Anatomy.

1. the expanding and contracting opening in the iris of the eye, through which light passes to the retina.

pupil

²

[pyoo-puhl]

noun

1. 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

2. Civil Law.,  an orphaned or emancipated minor under the care of a guardian.

3. Roman Law.,  a person under the age of puberty orphaned or emancipated, and under the care of a guardian.

pupil

¹

/ ˈpjuːpəl /

noun

1. the dark circular aperture at the centre of the iris of the eye, through which light enters

pupil

²

/ ˈpjuːpəl /

noun

1. a student who is taught by a teacher, esp a young student

2. civil law Scots law a boy under 14 or a girl under 12 who is in the care of a guardian

pupil

1. The opening in the center of the iris through which light enters the eye.

pupil

1. The seemingly black, central opening in the iris of the eye, through which light enters.

Other Word Forms

• pupilless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pupil¹

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

Origin of pupil²

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”

Word History and Origins

Origin of pupil¹

C16: from Latin pūpilla, diminutive of pūpa girl, puppet; from the tiny reflections in the eye

Origin of pupil²

C14: from Latin pupillus an orphan, from pūpus a child

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

Stacey said she was unsure if the local primary school could take any more pupils, and that traffic was also definitely busier through the town.

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The school has pupils up to the age of 19 but does not receive core funding for its running costs and staffing like the majority of other schools.

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If that money had to be taken from existing school budgets, it said it would lead to a 4.9% fall in mainstream school spending per pupil, rather than the 0.5% increase planned by government.

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A secondary school in Cheshire has been shut to deep clean the building after high levels of pupil sickness.

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A Jewish former classmate of Nigel Farage has told the BBC the Reform UK leader is being "fundamentally dishonest" by suggesting former pupils who say they witnessed his racism are not telling the truth.

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Related Words

• graduate student www.thesaurus.com
• learner 
• senior 
• student 
• undergraduate 

When To Use

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.