tutelage

The word tutelage can refer to teaching (in a formal educational setting), instruction (in a context other than school), or guidance (more generally). If you say that you’re under someone’s tutelage, you could mean that that person is your teacher, your tutor, your mentor, or the person showing you how things are done in some setting, like a new job.

Tutelage typically implies some form of teaching or instruction, regardless of whether it’s in an academic setting.

Tutelage isn’t all that commonly used in general, but it’s not uncommon to hear it in some settings. It can sound a bit old-fashioned, especially when compared to synonyms like tutoring or instruction.

Tutoring most commonly refers to one-on-one teaching that’s academic but outside of the classroom, such as with a private after-school tutor. Tutelage can be used to mean the same thing. For example, if you have a physics tutor, you could think of yourself as being under their tutelage. But tutelage is much more broad and can be used in other ways that tutoring usually isn’t, such as to refer to in-classroom teaching or non-academic instruction.

Tutoring often (though not always) involves additional instruction on a subject that one needs help with. The word tutelage, on the other hand, often implies that the teaching being done is the primary form of instruction.

Tutelage can be used in many different contexts, including academic and nonacademic ones. It’s commonly used in the phrase under (someone’s) tutelage.

Here are some examples of tutelage in a sentence:

• Under his mother’s tutelage, John became a master mechanic.
• Thanks to your tutelage, I am now a qualified barista.
• Thousands of students who have passed through these halls over the years have had the privilege of being under the tutelage of Mr. Carter.