younger

¹

[ yuhng-ger ]

adjective

1. comparative of young.
2. (usually initial capital letter) (used to designate the junior of two related persons bearing the same name):

   Charles the Younger ruled after his father abdicated.

noun

1. the junior of two persons in age (often used with a possessive pronoun):

   Her brother is seven years her younger.

Younger

²

[ yuhng-ger ]

noun

1. Thomas Coleman Cole, 1844–1916, U.S. outlaw, associated with Jesse James.

Word History and Origins

Origin of younger¹

First recorded before 1000; young ( def ) + -er ⁴( def )

Example Sentences

Even if Liverpool surprisingly sold Alisson, who has 18 months left on his deal with the option for another year, Kelleher would likely remain second choice, this time to a younger goalkeeper.

From BBC

“It’s very disheartening to see women tear other women down, especially when women who are successful in other avenues of their industry see younger talent working really hard,” Sweeney said in Vanity Fair’s 2025 Hollywood issue.

From Los Angeles Times

With his Buddy Holly glasses, scruffy boho beard, floppy hair and turtleneck sweater, Adams — who is called the Big Lad — is lazily charismatic, with the precociously paternal air of a cool, or seemingly cool, assistant professor — he calls Dolours, who in real life was only two years younger, “child.”

From Los Angeles Times

She was later asked by him to go to Monaco to work as a personal assistant for his younger brother, Salah, but on her arrival, she found there was very little work to do.

From BBC

Cavendish was famed during his career for beating younger and stronger riders to the line based on the timing of his attacks and how long he could hold on to high levels of power.

From BBC

Related Words

• inconsequential
• lesser
• negligible
• petty
• secondary
• slight
• trivial
• unimportant