teens

American  

[teenz] / tinz /

plural noun

1. the numbers 13 through 19, especially in a progression, as the 13th through the 19th years of a lifetime or of a given or implied century.

---

teens British  

/ tiːnz /

plural noun

1. the years of a person's life between the ages of 13 and 19 inclusive

2. all the numbers that end in -teen

---

Etymology

Origin of teens

1595–1605; teen (extracted from numbers with -teen as final element) + -s ³

Example Sentences

The teens are part of Make Great Plays, a grassroots organization that gives elementary school students a chance to dream, excel and believe they belong in educational echelons that once felt out of reach.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

Revenue is expected to grow at a rate in the mid-to-high teens through at least 2028, it added.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

While most tech companies have pledged to abide by Australian laws, they have warned that the heavy-handed move could simply push teens to darker, less-regulated corners of the internet.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

The force believed the woman was in her mid to late teens, with green eyes and brown hair, with darker roots and blond ends.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

“I don’t call myself a child, and I’m not in my teens yet,” observed Amy.

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

Related Words

• boyhood