seniority

noun

se·​nior·​i·​ty sēn-ˈyȯr-ə-tē 

-ˈyär-

1

: the quality or state of being senior : priority

2

: a privileged status attained by length of continuous service (as in a company)

Examples of seniority in a Sentence

Promotions are based on merit and seniority.

a teacher with less seniority

He has worked here longer than I have, so he has seniority over me.

Recent Examples on the Web

In Politico, Nicholas Wu and Hailey Fuchs wrote about Garcia’s attempts to sidestep the seniority question, instead opting to fashion himself as an experienced big-city mayor who won’t shy from a fight. —David Weigel, semafor.com, 27 June 2025

Discussions are likely to include debate over the automation issue in addition to the union’s push for wage increases and scheduling based on seniority. —Jason Clinkscales, Sportico.com, 24 June 2025

Within the negotiations, the union’s sticking points include accommodations for injured workers, clearer employee seniority lists, access to cleaner bathrooms and concerns over electronic surveillance. —Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 9 June 2025

Opinions are announced in reverse seniority based on the majority opinion’s author. —Ella Lee, The Hill, 14 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for seniority

• authority
• majority
• minority
• priority
• sonority
• sorority
• exteriority
• inferiority
• superiority

Kids Definition

seniority

noun

se·​nior·​i·​ty sēn-ˈyȯr-ət-ē 

-ˈyär-

1

: the quality or state of being senior

2

: a privileged position arrived at by length of service

Legal Definition

seniority

noun

se·​nior·​i·​ty sēn-ˈyȯr-ə-tē 

1

: the quality or state of being senior

2

: the senior status attained by length of continuous service (as in a company)

also : the length of such continuous service