- senior
- 1287, from L. senior "older," comparative of senex (gen. senis) "old," from PIE base *sen- (see senile). Original use in Eng. was as addition to a personal name when father and son had the same name; meaning "higher in rank, longer in service" first recorded 1513. The L. word yielded titles of respect in many languages, cf. Fr. sire, Sp. seņor, It. signor. Noun sense of "fourth-year student" is from 1741, from earlier general sense of "advanced student" (1612). Seniority "priority on office or service" is from 1450. Senior citizen first recorded 1938, Amer.Eng.