tutor

1 of 2

noun

tu·​tor ˈtü-tər 

ˈtyü-

: a person charged with the instruction and guidance of another: such as

a

: a private teacher

b

: a teacher in a British university who gives individual instruction to undergraduates

tutor

2 of 2

verb

tutored; tutoring; tutors

transitive verb

1

: to teach or guide usually individually in a special subject or for a particular purpose : coach

2

: to have the guardianship, tutelage, or care of

intransitive verb

1

: to do the work of a tutor

2

: to receive instruction especially privately

Synonyms

Verb

• educate
• indoctrinate
• instruct
• lesson
• school
• teach
• train

Examples of tutor in a Sentence

Noun

I got a tutor to help me with my homework.

He is a tutor in European history.

Verb

She earned extra money tutoring in the evening.

bought a video series designed to tutor a person in the fine art of decorating cakes

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The program summary for 2024-2025 shows that more than 450 volunteer tutors worked with more than 800 students. Lake County students with reading deficiencies at eight Waukegan, North Chicago and Zion schools are benefiting from individualized attention and one-to-one instruction. —Gregory Harutunian, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025

Income impact: Many remote language tutors successfully raise their hourly rates after implementing Krisp, as students willingly pay premium prices for distraction-free lessons with perfect audio quality. —Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025

Verb

Research indicates that students who tutor others develop communication skills and deeper subject mastery that transfer directly to better academic performance. —Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025

That tutoring company became just the first of several businesses that Lim began. —Ernestine Siu, CNBC, 12 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English tutour, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin tutor, from tueri

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1592, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Rhymes for tutor

• neuter
• pewter
• router
• scooter
• shooter
• suitor
• commuter
• computer
• polluter
• recruiter
• microcomputer
• minicomputer

Kids Definition

tutor

1 of 2 noun

tu·​tor ˈt(y)üt-ər 

: a person who has the responsibility of instructing and guiding another

tutor

2 of 2 verb

: to teach usually individually

Legal Definition

tutor

noun

tu·​tor ˈtü-tər, ˈtyü-tər 

in the civil law of Louisiana : a guardian of a minor or sometimes of a person with mental retardation compare committee, conservator, curator

tutorship noun