nonage

[ non-ij, noh-nij ]

noun

1. the period of legal minority, or of an age below 21.
2. any period of immaturity.

nonage

/ ˈnəʊnɪdʒ /

noun

1. law the state of being under any of various ages at which a person may legally enter into certain transactions, such as the making of binding contracts, marrying, etc
2. any period of immaturity

Word History and Origins

Origin of nonage¹

1350–1400; late Middle English < Middle French ( non-, age ); replacing Middle English nownage < Anglo-French nounage; Middle French as above

Example Sentences

The stories are ideal for short trips, and the collection will appeal to listeners from nonage to senectitude, as long as they enjoy justice meted out with merry malice.

From Washington Post

Kant saw humanity living deeply irrational lives in a state of self-imposed nonage, capable of being rescued only by an enlightened but autocratic ruler.

From Slate

And most of all it was bringing to that vague yet unmistakable town-soul of Llanyglo growth and experience, growth that it could not escape and experience that it must square with those numbered days of its idyllic nonage as best it can.

From Project Gutenberg

The charters were not avoidable for the king's nonage.

From Project Gutenberg

The youth in his nonage, and the gray-haired and very aged man were there.

From Project Gutenberg