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Webster 1913 Edition

Pupil

Pu′pil

,
Noun.
[F.
pupille
, n. fem., L.
pupilla
the pupil of the eye, originally dim. of
pupa
a girl. See
Puppet
, and cf.
Pupil
a scholar.]
(Anat.)
The aperture in the iris; the sight, apple, or black of the eye. See the Note under
Eye
, and
Iris
.
Pin-hole pupil
(Med.)
,
the pupil of the eye when so contracted (as it sometimes is in typhus, or opium poisoning) as to resemble a pin hole.
Dunglison.

Pu′pil

,
Noun.
[F.
pupille
, n. masc. & fem., L.
pupillus
,
pupilla
, dim. of
pupus
boy,
pupa
girl. See
Puppet
, and cf.
Pupil
of the eye.]
1.
A youth or scholar of either sex under the care of an instructor or tutor.
Too far in years to be a
pupil
now.
Shakespeare
Tutors should behave reverently before their
pupils
.
L’Estrange.
2.
A person under a guardian; a ward.
Dryden.
3.
(Civil Law)
A boy or a girl under the age of puberty, that is, under fourteen if a male, and under twelve if a female.
Syn. – Learner; disciple; tyro. – See
Scholar
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Pupil

PU'PIL

,
Noun.
[L. pupilla,
dim.
of pupa,pupus. See Pup.]
The apple of the eye; a little aperture in the middle of the iris and uvea of the eye, through which the rays of light pass to the crystalline humor, to be painted on the retina.

PU'PIL

,
Noun.
[L. pupillus,
dim.
of pupa, pupus. See Pup.]
1.
A youth or scholar of either sex under the care of an instructor or tutor.
2.
A ward; a youth or person under the care of a guardian.
3.
In the civil law, a boy or girl under the age of puberty, that is, under 14 if a male, and under 12 if a female.

Definition 2024

pupil

pupil

English

Noun

pupil ‎(plural pupils)

  1. (law, obsolete) An orphan who is a minor and under the protection of the state.
  2. A learner under the supervision of a teacher or professor.
    • 1668 December 19, James Dalrymple, “Mr. Alexander Seaton contra Menzies” in The Deciſions of the Lords of Council & Seſſion I (Edinburgh, 1683), page 575
      The Pupil after his Pupillarity, had granted a Diſcharge to one of the Co-tutors, which did extinguiſh the whole Debt of that Co-tutor, and conſequently of all the reſt, they being all correi debendi, lyable by one individual Obligation, which cannot be Diſcharged as to one, and ſtand as to all the reſt.
    • 2013 July 19, Peter Wilby, “Finland spreads word on schools”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 6, page 30:
      Imagine a country where children do nothing but play until they start compulsory schooling at age seven. Then, without exception, they attend comprehensives until the age of 16. Charging school fees is illegal, and so is sorting pupils into ability groups by streaming or setting.
Translations
Related terms

Etymology 2

From Middle French pupille, from Latin pūpilla ‎(“pupil; little girl, doll”), named because of the small reflected image seen when looking into someone's eye.

Noun

pupil ‎(plural pupils)

  1. (anatomy) The hole in the middle of the iris of the eye, through which light passes to be focused on the retina.
Translations
Derived terms

Danish

Etymology

From Latin pūpilla ‎(“little girl”), diminutive of pūpa ‎(“girl”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pupil/, [pʰuˈpʰilˀ]

Noun

pupil c (singular definite pupillen, plural indefinite pupiller)

  1. pupil (the hole in the middle of the iris of the eye)

Inflection

Malay

Etymology

From English pupil, from Middle French pupille, from Latin pūpilla ‎(“pupil; little girl, doll”).

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Noun

pupil ‎(Jawi spelling ڤوڤيل)

  1. (anatomy) pupil (the hole in the middle of the iris of the eye)

Synonyms

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman pupille ‎(“orphan”), from Latin pūpillus ‎(“orphan, minor”), variant of pūpulus ‎(“little boy”), from pūpus ‎(“child, boy”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pjuːpəl/
  • Rhymes: -uːpəl

Similar Results