tutor

1 of 2

noun

tu·​tor ˈtü-tər How to pronounce tutor (audio)
ˈtyü-
Synonyms of tutornext
: 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 of tutor

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Verb

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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Mike Sweeney’s tutor Royals Hall of Famer Mike Sweeney was heartbroken to learn of Benzinger’s passing. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026 Whole schools are emerging that are AI-based, and virtual AI tutors are allegedly personalizing instruction and making teaching and learning more efficient and effective. — Kamau Bobb october 21, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
About a thousand Turkish high school students solved math problems with regular ChatGPT, with a tutoring version of the bot, or without AI. — Dmytro Korchevskyi, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026 The team brought in Benzinger, who had retired and was getting his teaching degree at the University of Cincinnati, to tutor Sweeney. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tutor

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of tutor was in the 14th century

Rhymes for tutor

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Browse Nearby Words

tut money
tutor
tutorage
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tutor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tutor. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tutor

1 of 2 noun
tu·​tor ˈt(y)üt-ər How to pronounce tutor (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce tutor (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on tutor

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tutor

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