Lesson
ˈlɛsən
Definitions
3 meaningsA period of time in which someone is taught something; a class.
ˈlɛsən
A period of learning or instruction.
The children enjoyed the science lesson.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're at school and your teacher is explaining how plants grow. That's a lesson! Or, if you're learning to play the guitar, each time you meet with the teacher is a lesson.
👶 For kids: A lesson is when you learn something from a teacher or a book.
More Examples
I have a piano lesson after school.
The teacher gave us a lesson on fractions.
How It's Used
"The history lesson covered the French Revolution."
"She takes piano lessons every Saturday."
Something learned from an experience; a moral or practical teaching.
ˈlɛsən
An experience that teaches something useful or important.
The fire was a harsh lesson about the importance of fire safety.
💡 Simply: Sometimes, life gives us 'lessons' – things we learn from what happens to us. Maybe you failed a test and learned to study harder, or you fell off your bike and learned to be more careful. Those are lessons!
👶 For kids: A lesson can be something you learn from doing something, like if you fall down and learn to be careful.
More Examples
Her experience taught her a valuable lesson in trust.
He learned a hard lesson from his mistakes.
How It's Used
"The accident taught him a valuable lesson about safety."
"Failure taught him a lesson of perseverance"
To give a lesson to; to instruct or tutor.
ˈlɛsən
To give a lesson to someone.
She lessons young children in reading.
💡 Simply: To help someone learn something by teaching them, like a tutor might 'lesson' a student in math.
👶 For kids: to teach someone something.
More Examples
He lessons in various subjects.
The experienced tutor lessons the group of students.
How It's Used
"The tutor lessons students in various subjects."
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
a hard lesson
A difficult or unpleasant experience that teaches someone a valuable lesson.
"He learned a hard lesson about honesty when he was caught cheating."
teach someone a lesson
To punish or reprimand someone to prevent them from repeating a mistake or misbehavior.
"The school decided to teach the student a lesson about bullying by giving him detention."
From Middle English *lessoun*, from Old French *leçon* (“reading; lesson”), from Latin *lectiō* (“a reading, lecture”), from *legō* (“I read”).
The word 'lesson' has been used for centuries to describe periods of instruction, deriving from a Latin root related to 'reading' and 'lectures'.
Memory tip
Think of a classroom and a teacher teaching a specific subject to a group of students.
Practice
Word Origin
Root: lectiō