homework

English Online Dictionary. What means homework‎? What does homework mean?

English

Etymology

From home +‎ work.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈhəʊmˌwɜːk/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈhoʊmˌwɝk/

Noun

homework (usually uncountable, plural homeworks)

1. Exercises assigned by a teacher to a student which review concepts studied in class.
   1. (by extension) Something which one is encouraged to learn or study on one's own.
2. (literally, now rare) Any work that is done at home; housework.
3. (slang, euphemistic) Sexual intercourse.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:sexual activity
4. (BDSM) Tasks assigned by a dominant for a submissive to perform when they are physically away from their dominant or otherwise free.

Usage notes

• (exercises assigned by a teacher) The term homework generally implies that the work is mandatory and worth marks; exercises that are optional are usually referred to as practice problems, review problems, extra practice, exercises, etc.
• (exercises assigned by a teacher) Work of a larger scale than homework (which involves a series of relatively simple exercises) is usually referred to as an assignment or project.

Hypernyms

• schoolwork

Coordinate terms

• classwork

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• busy work

References

• “homework”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.

Anagrams

• workhome