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

High-agency employees who are resourceful—regardless of their level of seniority—can contribute to meaningful work whether as ICs or leaders, creating high-density teams that apply taste and knowledge to deliver best-in-class results. — Neda Nia, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2026

These rejections include supplemental health benefits, a night shift differential, geographic pay differential, a recruitment and retention proposal, seniority differential and overtime meal benefits, according to the complaint. — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 7 Sep. 2026

Today, Netflix defines success by performance, not seniority, tenure, or loyalty. — Preston Fore, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026

The higher Khalil got on the rungs of congressional seniority, the more circumspect the lawmakers sounded. — Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 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