tuition

noun

tu·​ition tə-ˈwi-shən 

tyu̇-

1

: the price of or payment for instruction

2

: the act or profession of teaching : instruction

pursued his studies under private tuition

3

archaic : custody, guardianship

tuitional

tə-ˈwi-sh(ə-)nəl 

tyu̇-

adjective

Synonyms of tuition

• education
• teaching
• schooling
• instruction

Examples of tuition in a Sentence

Her uncle agreed to pay part of her tuition.

There's going to be a tuition increase next year.

Before the company transferred her to Mexico, they offered her private tuition in Spanish.

Recent Examples on the Web

By the 2025-26 academic year, room and board, tuition, and fees reached $25,850 at four-year, in-state public colleges, and $45,780 for out-of-state students, on average, according to the College Board. — Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026

In practice, that can mean a bigger mortgage, pricier cars, private school tuition, and frequent travel—the kind of lifestyle inflation that can quietly absorb a raise. — Steven John, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026

Berea students do not pay for tuition, fees, housing or food – thanks in large part to those unrestricted donations. — Genevieve Shaker, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026

My tuition payments were in the hundreds of dollars, not thousands. — David Shribman, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English tuicioun protection, from Anglo-French, from Latin tuition-, tuitio, from tueri to look at, look after

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for tuition

• dition
• fission
• lycian
• abolition
• acquisition
• admonition
• ammunition
• apparition
• apposition
• coalition
• competition
• composition

Kids Definition

tuition

noun

tu·​ition t(y)u̇-ˈish-ən 

: money paid for instruction (as at a college)