pupil

¹

[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

²

[pyoo-puhl]

noun

Anatomy.

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

pupil

¹

/ 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

²

/ ˈpjuːpəl /

noun

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

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

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of pupil¹

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

Origin of pupil²

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

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

A physical-education teacher is instructing pupils in how to respond to drones, and the village mayor has started weekend skeet-shooting classes.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Clydeview pupils and staff have responded with enthusiasm to the CPR lessons, saying it has given them confidence about performing it if needed.

Read more on BBC

A £4m fund will support projects that teach pupils and students how to identify misinformation online and promote interfaith understanding.

Read more on BBC

Campbell told the conference: "The uncomfortable truth is this, because of the Welsh government's failure to get even the basics right in literacy and numeracy, our pupils are not fulfilling their potential."

Read more on BBC

So before Alexander added any new pupil to his “edge assassins” training program, he brought them to the hill for a workout.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

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.