A Tutor Was Originally a Guardian
A tutor is a private teacher. The Latin word meant a protector, and the sense narrowed to education over time.
A tutor is a private teacher, or in a university a member of staff responsible for a student's progress. Latin *tutor* meant a guardian or protector, from *tueri*, to watch over — the legal guardian of a minor, not a teacher at all. The educational sense narrowed later, because a wealthy household's guardian was also responsible for the child's schooling. *Tuition* originally meant guardianship too, which is why it now means both teaching and the fee for it.
- A private teacher. *A maths tutor.*
- A guardian (archaic). *A legal tutor.*
- Tuition — teaching or its fee. *Tuition fees.*
- Tutorial — a small class. *A tutorial.*
- Latin — *tueri*, to watch over. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | tutor | A tutor. |
| Plural | tutors | Tutors. |
| Verb | tutor | Tutor them. |
| Noun | tuition | Tuition. |
| Noun | tutorial | A tutorial. |
- She hired a tutor for her son.Teaching.
- Tutor once meant guardian.Etymology.
- Tuition fees rose again.Related.
The tueri family
- Tutor — one who watches over
- Tuition — the act of guarding, then of teaching
- Tutelage — instruction or protection
- Tutelary — protective, as of a guardian deity
- Intuition — looking upon inwardly
Latin *tutor*, a guardian or protector, from *tueri*, to watch over or protect.
Did tutor always mean teacher?
No. In Latin it meant a legal guardian. The teaching sense grew because a household guardian also oversaw the child's education.
Why does tuition mean both teaching and fees?
It originally meant guardianship, then instruction, and finally the payment made for that instruction.