Etymology
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juvenile (adj.)

1620s, "young, youthful," from Latin iuvenilis "of or belonging to youth, youthful," from iuvenis "young man, one in the flower of his age" (in Roman use, the period just beyond adolescence, from age 21 or 25 to 40), noun use of an adjective meaning "young" (source also of French jeune; see young (adj.)).

Meaning "pertaining to or suited to youth" is from 1660s. As a noun, "a young person," from 1733. Juvenile delinquency first recorded 1816; Juvenile delinquent the following year. Slang shortening juvie/juvey is recorded from 1941 as "juvenile delinquent," 1967 as "juvenile detention."

Entries linking to juvenile

young (adj.)

Old English geong "youthful, young; recent, new, fresh," from Proto-Germanic *junga- (source also of Old Saxon and Old Frisian jung, Old Norse ungr, Middle Dutch jonc, Dutch jong, Old High German and German jung, Gothic juggs), from PIE *yuwn-ko-, suffixed form of root *yeu- "vital force, youthful vigor" (source also of Sanskrit yuvan- "young; young man;" Avestan yuuanem, yunam "youth," yoista- "youngest;" Latin juvenis "young," iunior "younger, more young;" Lithuanian jaunas, Old Church Slavonic junu, Russian junyj "young," Old Irish oac, Welsh ieuanc "young").

From c. 1830-1850, Young France, Young Italy, etc., were loosely applied to "republican agitators" in various monarchies; also, especially in Young England, Young America, used generally for "typical young person of the nation." For Young Turk, see Turk.

juvenilia (n.)

"works of a person's youth," 1620s, from Latin iuvenilia, neuter plural of iuvenilis "of or belonging to youth" (see juvenile).

updated on December 03, 2016

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Dictionary entries near juvenile

jute

Jute

juvenal

juvenescence

juvenescent

juvenile

juvenilia

juvenility

Juventus

juxtapose

juxtaposition

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