youth

¹ American  

[yooth] / yuθ /

noun

PLURAL

youths

PLURAL

youth

1. the condition of being young.

   Antonyms:

   maturity

2. the appearance, freshness, vigor, spirit, etc., characteristic of one who is young.

3. the time of being young; early life.

   His youth was spent on the farm.

   Synonyms:

   immaturity , minority

   Antonyms:

   maturity

4. the period of life from puberty to the attainment of full growth; adolescence.

5. the first or early period of anything.

   The business, even in its youth, showed great potential.

6. young persons collectively.

7. a young person, especially a young man or male adolescent.

   Synonyms:

   boy , lad , stripling , adolescent , teenager , youngster

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Youth ² American  

[yooth] / yuθ /

noun

1. Isle of Youth an island in the Caribbean, a special municipality in southern Cuba. 1,182 sq. mi. (3,060 sq. km).

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youth ¹ British  

/ juːθ /

noun

1. the quality or condition of being young, immature, or inexperienced

   his youth told against him in the contest

2. the period between childhood and maturity, esp adolescence and early adulthood

3. the freshness, vigour, or vitality characteristic of young people

   youth shone out from her face

4. any period of early development

   the project was in its youth

5. a young person, esp a young man or boy

6. young people collectively

   youth everywhere is rising in revolt

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Youth ² British  

/ juːθ /

noun

1. Spanish name: Isla de la Juventud.  Former name: Isle of Pines.  an island in the NW Caribbean, south of Cuba: administratively part of Cuba from 1925. Chief town: Nueva Gerona. Pop: 80 600 (2002 est). Area: 3061 sq km (1182 sq miles)

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Other Word Forms

• youthless adjective

Etymology

Origin of youth

First recorded before 900; Middle English youthe, Old English geoguth; cognate with Dutch jeugd, German Jugend

Example Sentences

So many of my dad’s stories about his youth were set at Carville that I’d been imagining it for my entire life, but he never said much about his time in the infirmary.

From Salon

That’s the biggest thing I wish I could go back and change about my youth.

From The Wall Street Journal

Jack's family have been campaigning to raise awareness about the risks of swimming in cold, open water and are raising funds for a youth club in his name.

From BBC

"My suggestion for many youth would be just start it, don't let politics, which we can't control, hold you back."

From Barron's

The teenager was a goalkeeper for Gedling-based youth club, Aspire FC, which said it had postponed all its games at the weekend to pay respect to his family.

From BBC

Related Words

• minority
• teens