Homework

Origin

From home + work.

Full definition of homework

Noun

1. Work that is done at home, especially school exercises set by a teacher.
• 2013-07-19, Peter Wilby, Finland spreads word on schools, 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' homework a night.
2. You must do your homework before you can watch television.
3. 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.