Student Definition: Synonyms, Usage, and Popular Phrases

To define “student” take a closer look at the typical examples of usage in different contexts.

Learn more “student” synonyms to be more fluent and be able to substitute this word with other variants when the context fits.

Related nouns: school university teacher practice

Synonyms (contextual): learner pupil scholar apprentice trainee

Common collocations: college student university student exchange student

To be able to provide a “student” description, you need to understand everything about this word in terms of combinations with other parts of speech.

With adjectives: bright student struggling student international student

With verbs: become a student enroll as a student teach a student

With nouns (noun + noun): student loan student housing student visa student union

Discover about “student” in English as a part of idiomatic collocations, so you can easily distinguish them and comprehend their meaning.

• Student of life — someone who continuously learns from everyday experiences rather than just formal education.

  My grandfather never went to college, but he was a true student of life who learned something new every day.

• Straight-A student — a student who earns the highest grades in all subjects; an academic overachiever.

  Sarah was a straight-A student in high school but struggled when she reached university.

• Student driver — someone who is learning to drive and doesn’t have a full license yet.

  Be patient with that car — there’s a student driver behind the wheel.

• Eternal student — someone who keeps studying and collecting degrees instead of starting a career; can be positive or negative.

  He’s an eternal student with three master’s degrees but has never held a real job.

• Mature student — an adult who returns to education after spending years in the workforce or raising a family.

  At 45, she became a mature student and finally earned her nursing degree.

Evaluate how well you understand the description of “student” with this quick quiz. Practice makes perfect!

Learn how to spell “student” in French, German and Spanish and properly pronounce this word.

The statistics and historical landmarks presented here talk about the countless souls across the globe who dedicate their lives to education.

• The word “student” comes from Latin.

  In the Latin word “studere” which means “to be eager” or “to strive after.” The original meaning of the term required both desire and effort from the person, who needed to attend classes. A true student is someone who actively wants to learn, not just someone sitting in a classroom.

• China has the most students in the world.

  China holds the record for the highest number of enrolled students, with its 280 million students who study across different educational levels. India comes in second place. The two countries combined produce more than one-third of the total global student population.

• Student debt has exploded in recent decades.

  American students now owe over $1.7 trillion in student loans collectively. The average graduate carries around $30,000 in debt. The financial burden has turned into a significant political and social problem that impacts both professional paths and personal decisions.

• Medieval students started university at age 14.

  In medieval Europe, boys entered university as young as 13 or 14 years old. They studied Latin, logic and rhetoric before specializing. The concept of “teenager” didn’t exist — these young students were treated as small adults.

Advice on the true meaning of being a lifelong learner has been proffered by educators, philosophers and students themselves. Read and try to understand what they mean!