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

Recent middle managers don’t have the seniority that helps protect job security in RIFs. —Kate Callen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026

The organization made innovation an extracurricular activity, possible only for people with margin, political capital, or enough seniority to bypass process. —Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026

McKinsey also encourages a culture of constructive disagreement, where all employees—reguardless of seniority—have their assumptions and strategies challenged. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 17 Jan. 2026

Then Helen greets everyone else, in order of her best guess at seniority. —Sadia Shepard, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026

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