pupil

¹ American  

[pyoo-puhl] / ˈpyu pəl /

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.

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pupil ² American  

[pyoo-puhl] / ˈpyu pəl /

noun

Anatomy.

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

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pupil ¹ British  

/ ˈpjuːpəl /

noun

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

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pupil ² British  

/ 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

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pupil Scientific  

/ pyo̅o̅′pəl /

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

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pupil Cultural  

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

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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.

Related Words

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

• pupilless adjective

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

Example Sentences

And she's addressed hundreds of pupils at Fettes College, where she used to work as a cleaner.

From BBC

"We also support our schools to ensure the needs of all pupils are met, including those with special educational needs".

From BBC

BBC News has been speaking to families, teachers, pupils and councils about their experiences of the current system, and their reactions to the government's proposals.

From BBC

It was announced a few days before Christmas that the security forces had rescued all the remaining pupils and staff who had been taken from St Mary's by gunmen on 21 November.

From BBC

Schools should also run uniform banks or exchanges and should not discipline pupils for breaching uniform rules if the breach is due to financial hardship.

From BBC

Related Words

• graduate student
• learner
• senior
• student
• undergraduate