pupil
- 01 A2 Elementary
a child or young person who is being taught at a school.
a learner, typically a child or adolescent, who is under the direct supervision of a teacher in a primary or secondary school setting.
Simple“The teacher asked the pupils to open their books to page forty-two.”
In context“The primary school has over five hundred pupils, many of whom travel from neighbouring villages to attend classes.”
UsageIn British English, 'pupil' is common for school-age children, whereas 'student' is more common for university level.
Teacher's tipWhile 'student' is becoming more universal, 'pupil' remains the standard term in British educational contexts for younger children.
Antonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the small black circle in the middle of your eye that changes size to let in light.
the contractile opening in the centre of the iris of the eye, which regulates the amount of light reaching the retina.
Simple“Your pupils get larger when you walk into a dark room.”
In context“The doctor shone a small light into the patient's eyes to check if the pupils reacted normally.”
UsageUsually used in the plural when referring to both eyes.
- 03 C1 Advanced
someone who studies a specific skill or subject under a famous or very talented person.
an individual who studies under the personal guidance of a distinguished expert, artist, or philosopher.
Simple“The famous painter had many pupils who later became successful themselves.”
In context“As a young man, he was a devoted pupil of the great philosopher, spending years studying his mentor's complex theories.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is more common in historical or artistic contexts than in everyday modern conversation.
Synonyms
“In other words, Michigan would need to spend more per pupil now to reach the same level of student achievement based on the kinds of students it serves.”
“The school now has 1,059 pupils and 30 teachers – Sahra is the head teacher.”
From Middle English pupille, from Anglo-Norman pupille (“orphan”), from Latin pūpillus (“orphan, minor”), variant of pūpulus (“little boy”), from pūpus (“child, boy”).
From Middle English pupille, from Old French pupille, from Latin pūpilla (“pupil; little girl, doll”), named because of the small reflected image seen when looking into someone's eye.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.