pubescent

adjective

pu·​bes·​cent pyü-ˈbe-sᵊnt 

1

a

: arriving at or having reached puberty

b

: of or relating to puberty

2

: covered with fine soft short hairs compare villous

Examples of pubescent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This harrowing, 35mm-shot story of pubescent boys tormenting each other at a water polo summer camp doubles as a coming-of-age drama and an adolescent, acne-scarred body-horror nightmare. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 May 2025

My own curls arrived around age 13, another pubescent crisis to be dealt with along with the mustache that sprouted overnight and a sprinkling of T-zone blackheads. —Sam Reed, Glamour, 11 Apr. 2025

Her cherubic, shiny-cheeked Dorian is less the godlike 20-year-old of the novel than a barely pubescent boy. —Jesse Green, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025

Best Acne Treatments The Differin gel that many of us may have been prescribed to treat pubescent acne may still be worth a place in your acne-fighting routine. —Kiana Murden, Vogue, 7 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin pūbēscent-, pūbēscens, present participle of pūbēscere "to reach physical maturity, grow hair on the body, (of fruit) become mature, ripen," inchoative verbal derivative of pūbēs "adult population, group of able-bodied men, age of puberty, pubic region, pubic hair"; (sense 2) borrowed from New Latin, going back to Latin — more at pubes

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for pubescent

• depressant
• fluorescent
• incessant
• putrescent
• quiescent
• senescent
• suppressant
• acquiescent
• adolescent
• arborescent
• coalescent
• convalescent

Medical Definition

pubescent

adjective

pu·​bes·​cent -ᵊnt 

1

: arriving at or having reached puberty

2

: of or relating to puberty