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

The princess, who is patron of the Rugby Football League, also met with youngsters from Wakefield's Inspiring Futures programme, which supports those who are at risk of anti-social behaviour and youth crime.

From BBC

They spoke to youth ambassadors and charity workers, including the chief executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, and viewed a painting featuring excerpts from Anne Frank's diary.

From BBC

“Your oud can hang from a nail on the wall so you will remember your youth.”

From Literature

In the soundtrack of his youth, Walter Thompson-Hernández and his friends liked to devise a game of escape.

From Los Angeles Times

In an era of “common prosperity” and a tightening labor market for youth, ostentatious displays of wealth have become viewed as tone-deaf.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• minority
• teens