junior varsity

noun

, Sports.

1. a university, college, or school team that consists of players who lack the qualifications or skill necessary for the varsity and compete against other teams of similar composition or ability.

Word History and Origins

Origin of junior varsity¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

He stayed with the boy until rescuers arrived and extracted Jonah Handler, 15, a resident of Unit 1002 and a junior varsity baseball player at Monsignor Edward Pace High School in Miami Gardens.

From Washington Post

She was a majorette for the band, played basketball, and ran track and cross country, staying at the junior varsity level all four years.

From MIT Technology Review

The Duxbury team’s game Friday against Hingham was canceled along with junior varsity and freshman games scheduled for Saturday and Monday.

From Washington Post

Kooper already had a highlight reel, and it included some nice-looking throws, but it was from his sophomore season on the junior varsity team.

From ProPublica

She was on the junior varsity team at Kettle Run High as a ninth-grader and then chose Christchurch, where Homer was clearly ready for a young woman playing on his team with the boys.

From Washington Post

Obama already has had to explain away comments linking the Islamic State to a junior varsity team.

From The Daily Beast