juvenile

noun

plural juveniles

1

a

: a young person : youth

often, specifically : an individual who is under an age fixed by law (such as 18 years) at which a person would be charged as an adult for a criminal act

… some states also have been changing their laws to give school administrators more access to the records of juveniles whose cases were processed by juvenile courts.

—Peter Schmidt

b

: a book for children or young people

2

: a young individual resembling an adult of its kind except in size and reproductive activity: such as

a

: a fledged bird not yet in adult plumage

b

: a 2-year-old racehorse

3

: an actor or actress who plays youthful parts

Synonyms of juvenile

• kid
• child

Examples of juvenile in a Sentence

She works to keep juveniles away from drugs.

a medical study that followed juveniles through adolescence and into adulthood

Recent Examples on the Web

Christian was too busy stabbing a juvenile in what’s now known as Chelsalvador to work for a living like the Americanos do. —Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 7 June 2026

Inside were the driver, a passenger in the front seat and two juveniles in the back seats, police wrote. —Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 7 June 2026

The case dates to March 11, when Parks Director Zonya Ray was transporting juveniles to football practice in a city van. —Chelsea Jones, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026

The fan, who is a juvenile and whose name will not be released, rushed the court to take a video with San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama during the fourth quarter of the game against the New York Knicks on Wednesday, June 3. —Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1733, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing juvenile

• juvenile court
• juvenile delinquency
• juvenile diabetes
• juvenile hormone
• juvenile officer
• juvenile-onset diabetes

Kids Definition

juvenile

1 of 2 adjective

ju·​ve·​nile ˈjü-və-ˌnīl  -vən-ᵊl 

1

: showing incomplete development : immature, childish

2

: of, relating to, or characteristic of children or young people

juvenility

ˌjü-və-ˈnil-ət-ē

noun

juvenile

2 of 2 noun

1

: a young person, animal, or plant

2

: a book for young people

3

: an actor who plays youthful parts

Medical Definition

juvenile

1 of 2 adjective

ju·​ve·​nile ˈjü-və-ˌnīl  -vən-ᵊl 

1

: physiologically immature or undeveloped

juvenile fish

2

: of, relating to, characteristic of, or affecting children or young people

juvenile arthritis

3

: reflecting psychological or intellectual immaturity

juvenile behavior

juvenile

2 of 2 noun

1

: a young person

especially : one below the legally established age (as of 18) of adulthood

2

: a young individual resembling an adult of its kind except in size and reproductive activity

Legal Definition

juvenile

noun

ju·​ve·​nile

ˈjü-və-ˌnīl, -nəl

: an individual who is under an age fixed by law (as 18 years) at which he or she would be charged as an adult for a criminal act compare minor