preteen

1 of 2

noun

pre·​teen ˈprē-ˈtēn 

-ˌtēn

: a boy or girl not yet 13 years old

preteen

2 of 2

adjective

1

: relating to or produced for children especially in the 9 to 12 year-old age group

preteen fashions

2

: being younger than 13

Examples of preteen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Plus, especially for preteens and teens, nearby Hoi An is a really buzzy, young, and fun town. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Mar. 2026

There’s no greater satisfaction than buying the garment or accessory coveted in preteen years spent poring over magazines. —Selene Oliva, Vogue, 26 Mar. 2026

Adjective

The research team found the highest PFAS concentrations when participants were age 3, which were associated with higher bone density at age 12, Buckley said — contrasting with the finding of lower adolescent bone density when the children had high PFAS levels closer to the preteen years. —Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 17 Mar. 2026

The preteen Coetzee was miserable when the family moved to Worcester, not far from where the Karoo starts. —Gary Shteyngart, The Atlantic, 17 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1938, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for preteen

• agin
• alkene
• allene
• ameen
• amin
• amine
• arene
• athene
• baleen
• beeline
• benzene
• between

Kids Definition

preteen

1 of 2 noun

pre·​teen ˈprē-ˈtēn 

: a boy or girl not yet 13 years old

preteen

2 of 2 adjective

1

: relating to or produced for children especially in the 9 to 12 year-old age group

preteen fashions

2

: being younger than 13 years old