tutelage
noun
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Tutelage comes from the Latin verb tueri, meaning "to look at" or "to guard." When it first appeared in English at the turn of the 17th century, this word was used mainly in the protective sense of tueri; writers would describe serfs and peasants of earlier eras as being "under the tutelage of their lord." Over time, however, the word's meaning shifted away from guardianship and toward instruction. This pattern of meaning can also be seen in the related nouns tutor, which shifted from "a guardian" to "a private teacher," and tuition, which now typically refers to the cost of instruction but which originally referred to the protection, care, or custody by a parent or guardian over a child or ward.
Examples of tutelage in a Sentence
Andy McCullough, New York Times, 28 July 2025
People who can't even boil water are put under the tutelage of top chefs and have to get their skills in the kitchen up quick or be eliminated.
—PC Magazine, 25 July 2025
The whisky was distilled way back in 1940 at the Speyside distillery, but it was put into a Gordon & MacPhail American oak cask (Cask 336 to be exact) by George Urquhart and his father, John, who managed the business under the tutelage of founders James Gordon and John Alexander MacPhail.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 24 July 2025
As the place grew, so did Johnson, especially under the tutelage of Schaefer.
—Emma Moon, Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tutelage
Cite this Entry
“Tutelage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tutelage. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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tutelage
noun
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