tutor

[too-ter, tyoo-]

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.

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

/ 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

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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of tutor¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of tutor¹

C14: from Latin: a watcher, from tuērī to watch over

Synonym Study

See teach.

Example Sentences

The sisters were hoping to tutor other children part-time during their own studies as they wanted to be "open to help others".

From BBC

The settlement “ensures that over 100,000 of the district’s most vulnerable students will have access to no fewer than 45 hours of high-dose tutoring per year,” the advocates said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times

Mrs Arter, a hairdressing tutor from Welling, first met Mr Arter when he was the officer in charge of investigating a complaint she had made to the Met of domestic abuse.

From BBC

The government has told a contractor to remove jobs from a recruitment website, after it emerged there were plans to hire floristry and hairdressing tutors for detainees at an immigration removal centre near Heathrow airport.

From BBC

Hyun's cafe, which locals also use as a space for conversation or private tutoring, still welcomes Cagongjok as long as they respect the shared space.

From BBC

Related Words

• educator 
• instructor 
• lecturer 
• mentor 
• teacher