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

The duchess was a great music lover - supporting music charities and teaching music in a Hull primary school, where pupils knew nothing of her royal identity, and where she was known as "Mrs Kent".

From BBC

Parents have described changes to school transport at the start of the academic year as "absolute carnage", saying it has made it more difficult for pupils to get to school.

From BBC

The East Anglian Schools Trust sent a letter to parents of new Year 12 pupils as they were going back to school at Bungay High in Suffolk on Wednesday.

From BBC

It also would bar school districts from providing information about pupils, their families, teachers and school employees to immigration authorities without a warrant.

From Los Angeles Times

The company hopes the project will encourage more pupils to study computing and work in tech.

From BBC

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.