tuition

Where does the word "tuition" come from? It comes from Latin tuitio, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).

Tuition’s story begins in Latin: tuitio meant “protection.” 'a guarding, protection', from tueri 'to watch over', also the root of 'tutor'. It reached English by 1400s as tuition. First meant guardianship; the sense 'fees for teaching' is American, from the 1800s. Today, tuition means teaching or instruction; the fee charged for it.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · classical tuitio "protection", 'a guarding, protection', from tueri 'to watch over', also the root of 'tutor'.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1400s tuition "teaching; its fees", first meant guardianship; the sense 'fees for teaching' is American, from the 1800s.