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. 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

/ pyo̅o̅′pəl /

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 Words From

• pu·pil·less 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

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

A former pupil who claimed Foden groomed her for five years said teachers and other school staff saw her get into his car alone several times.

From BBC

“Our mission is to break down the barriers to opportunity, so every pupil has the best life chances,” said a DfE spokesperson.

From BBC

The California Phone-Free Schools Act ordered the state’s 1,000 school districts, charter schools and county education offices to draft student cellphone policies by July 1, 2026 — and leaves it up to schools to decide whether to enforce outright bans or some level of restrictions to “support pupil learning and well-being.”

From Los Angeles Times

He was a pupil at the Mulberry Bush School in Standlake, Oxfordshire, more than a decade ago but the claim was decided at the High Court on Friday.

From BBC

Her headmistress was angry, complaining that her former pupil was throwing her life away.

From BBC

Related Words

• graduate student
• learner
• senior
• student
• undergraduate