adolescent

¹ad·o·les·cent

noun \-s^ənt\

Definition of ADOLESCENT

: one that is in the state of adolescence

Examples of ADOLESCENT

1. Their children are now adolescents.

Origin of ADOLESCENT

French, from Latin adolescent-, adolescens, present participle of adolescere to grow up — more at adult

First Known Use: 15th century

²adolescent

adjective

Definition of ADOLESCENT

1

: of, relating to, or being in adolescence

2

: emotionally or intellectually immature

— ad·o·les·cent·ly adverb

Examples of ADOLESCENT

1. <an adolescent sheepdog, who hasn't quite gotten the hang of keeping the sheep huddled together>
2. <would hope that the college students had outgrown such adolescent behavior>

First Known Use of ADOLESCENT

1785

Related to ADOLESCENT

Synonyms

young, immature, juvenile, youngish, youthful

Antonyms

adult, grown-up, mature, matured

Related Words

ephebic, minor, preteen, subadult, teenage (or teenaged), underage; embryonic, emergent; callow, green, inexperienced, puerile, raw; babyish, childish, childlike, infantile, infantine, kiddish; undeveloped, unfinished, unfledged, unformed, unripe, unripened; blooming, blossoming, burgeoning, flourishing, flowering

Near Antonyms

aged, aging (or ageing), ancient, elderly, geriatric, long-lived, old, older, oldish, senescent, senior; full-blown, full-fledged; golden, mellow, ripe, ripened; middle-aged; anile, decrepit, doddering, over-the-hill, senile, spavined, tottery

Rhymes with ADOLESCENT

acquiescent, arborescent, Fertile Crescent, incandescent, opalescent, prepubescent, viridescent