tutelage

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The Word of the Day for February 10 is:

tutelage   \TOO-tuh-lij\   noun
     1 : an act of guarding or protecting
     2 : the state of being under a guardian or tutor
    *3 : instruction especially of an individual

Example sentence:
     Under the tutelage of her high school swim coach, Lynn has 
greatly improved her times.

Did you know?
     The Latin verb "tueri" means "to look at" or "to guard." 
When "tutelage" first began appearing in print in the early 
1600s, it was used mainly in the protective sense of "tueri," 
as writers described serfs and peasants of earlier eras as 
being "under the tutelage of their lord." Over time, however, 
the word's meaning shifted away from guardianship and toward 
instruction. This pattern of meaning can also be seen in the 
related nouns "tutor" (a person who instructs or guides 
another) and "tuition" (the act or profession of teaching or 
the cost of instruction). Nowadays "tutelage" can be used for 
any guiding influence in one's life.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.