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

When those individual judgments meet, the board must examine competing interpretations, pairing evidence and experience without allowing seniority, confidence or personal relationships to determine which perspective prevails. — Asif Menghrani, Forbes.com, 12 Nov. 2026

Bronin will be the only new member of Connecticut’s all-Democratic delegation, which will enter Congress next year as part of the majority and with sizable influence and seniority for a small contingent. — Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 11 Nov. 2026

During the campaign, Wasserman Schultz emphasized her experience and seniority in Congress and said affordability would be among her priorities, pointing to the costs of housing, health care, groceries, utilities and gas. — Sergio Candido, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026

Brown previously served as chairman, but caucus rules state that seniority resets if a senator leaves and then is reelected. — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 28 Oct. 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