élève

Élève is a French noun meaning a person enrolled in a school who is learning under the supervision of a teacher. It is most commonly used for pupils in primary and secondary education. For higher education, the usual terms are étudiant (male) or étudiante (female). The word can also refer to trainees in formal programs or apprenticeships. In everyday language, it appears in school communications, reports, and discussions of students’ rights and responsibilities.

Origin and development: The term derives from the verb élever, “to raise,” and originally meant someone being brought up for education. It comes from Old French esleve and gradually took on the sense of a learner within a structured school system. The concept is used across French-speaking countries with a similar educational meaning.

Spelling and gender: The singular form is élève, with the plural élèves. The word denotes a student regardless of gender; gender is indicated by the article or by adjectives (un élève, une élève; un élève brillant, une élève brillante). It is widely used throughout primary and secondary education, while higher education is typically described with étudiante/étudiant.