a term purely French, though of late used also in our language. Literally it signifies a disciple or scholar bred up under any one, being formed from the Italian allievo, an "apprentice" or "novice."

It was first used by the French writers in speaking of painters; such a painter was an eleve of Da Vinci, of Raphael, &c. From painting it came to be applied to such as studied or learned any other art under a master. In the Royal Academy of Sciences, there were 20 eleves; and in that of inscriptions, 10 eleves. The eleves are to act in concert with the pensionaries. See Academy.

The denomination eleve, however, has been fines suppremed, and that of adjoint substituted in its room; because every body did not know the tenie affixed to it by the academy; and now the pensionary academists have not, as formerly, each of them an eleve; but the eleves are become adjoints, or affiliates of the academy.