English

Noun

homework ‎(usually uncountable, plural homeworks)

1. Work that is done at home, especially school exercises assigned by a teacher.
   • 2013 July 19, Peter Wilby, “Finland spreads word on schools”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 6, page 30:

     Imagine a country where children do nothing but play until they start compulsory schooling at age seven. Then, without exception, they attend comprehensives until the age of 16. […] Children address teachers by their first names. Even 15-year-olds do no more than 30 minutes'^[sic]homework a night.

   You must do your homework before you can watch television.‎

2. Preliminary or preparatory work, such as research.

   The speaker had certainly done his homework before delivering the lecture.‎

Usage notes

The term is generally used to refer to primary or secondary school assignments as opposed to college-level coursework.

Quotations

• For usage examples of this term, see Citations:homework.

Translations

See also

• busy work
• schoolwork