juvenile

[ joo-vuh-nl, -nahyl ]

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or suitable or intended for young persons:

   juvenile books.

2. young; youthful:

   juvenile years.

3. immature; childish; infantile:

   His juvenile tantrums are not in keeping with his age.

noun

1. a young person; youth.
2. Theater.
   1. a youthful male or female role.
   2. an actor or actress who plays such parts.
3. a book for children.
4. Ornithology. a young bird that has its first set of contur feathers.
5. a two-year-old racehorse.

juvenile

/ ˈdʒuːvɪˌnaɪl /

adjective

1. young, youthful, or immature
2. suitable or designed for young people

   juvenile pastimes

3. (of animals or plants) not yet fully mature
4. of or denoting young birds that have developed their first plumage of adult feathers
5. geology occurring at the earth's surface for the first time; new

   juvenile gases

   juvenile water

noun

1. a juvenile person, animal, or plant
2. an actor who performs youthful roles
3. a book intended for young readers

Derived Forms

• ˈjuveˌnileness, noun
• ˈjuveˌnilely, adverb

Other Words From

• juve·nile·ly adverb
• pre·juve·nile adjective
• un·juve·nile adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of juvenile¹

First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin juvenīlis “youthful,” equivalent to juven(is) “youthful” + -īlis adjective suffix; -ile

Word History and Origins

Origin of juvenile¹

C17: from Latin juvenīlis youthful, from juvenis young

Synonym Study

See young.

Example Sentences

According to Cornell University's All about Birds website, the male breeding birds have a bright red body and black wings and tails, while females and juvenile birds have a yellowish-green body.

From BBC

The Freedom of Russia Legion is designated as terrorist organisation by Russia, and Arseny was sentenced to five years in a juvenile colony.

From BBC

A guy whose own running mate referred to him as “America’s Hitler,” called him a reprehensible idiot and “a total fraud,” will soon be moving back into the White House after months of juvenile name-calling and vulgarity.

From Los Angeles Times

His handling of some cases — most notably the prosecution of Hannah Tubbs, a 26-year-old woman tried as a juvenile for a sex assault she committed when she was 17 — sparked national uproar and forced him to walk back some of his all-or-nothing positions.

From Los Angeles Times

The city could treat it as a literal dumping ground, with very real consequences — the highest rates of juvenile asthma in the city, the lowest household income, the fewest sidewalks and paved streets, even life expectancy rates more than a decade shorter than elsewhere in Portland.

From Salon

Related Words

• adolescent
• boy
• girl
• infant
• minor
• youngster
• youth