pupil
UK[ˈpjuːp(ə)l]US[ˈpjuːp(ə)l]
n
A child or young person who is being taught in a school or by a private tutor.
n
The small, dark circular opening in the center of the iris of the eye, which regulates the amount of light entering.
Etymology
The word 'pupil' presents a fascinating case of a doublet, where two distinct Latin words converged into identical English spelling. The first, meaning 'student', derives from Latin pupillus (a male ward or orphan) and pupilla (a female ward), diminutives of pupus (boy) and pupa (girl). The second, meaning the aperture of the eye, comes directly from Latin pupilla, which originally meant 'little doll'. This sense arose because when one looks into another's eyes, one can see a tiny, doll-like reflection of oneself. Both Latin roots trace back to the Proto-Indo-European root pau-, meaning 'few, little', emphasizing smallness or youth. Over centuries, the legal and familial sense of 'ward' evolved into the general educational sense, while the anatomical term retained its metaphorical link to the miniature reflection.
Analysis
This is a simplex word. It entered English from two distinct but homographic Latin sources, resulting in two unrelated meanings.
Examples
The teacher gave each pupil a book to read.
Bright light causes the pupil of the eye to contract.
She was a diligent pupil and always completed her homework on time.