youth
noun
the condition of being young.
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youth
1 American
[yooth]
/ yuθ /
noun
youths
plural
-
the condition of being young.
- Antonyms:
- maturity
-
the appearance, freshness, vigor, spirit, etc., characteristic of one who is young.
-
the time of being young; early life.
His youth was spent on the farm.
- Synonyms:
- immaturity, minority
- Antonyms:
- maturity
-
the period of life from puberty to the attainment of full growth; adolescence.
-
the first or early period of anything.
The business, even in its youth, showed great potential.
-
young persons collectively.
-
a young person, especially a young man or male adolescent.
Youth
2
American
[yooth]
/ yuθ /
noun
youth
1
British
/ juːθ /
noun
-
the quality or condition of being young, immature, or inexperienced
his youth told against him in the contest
-
the period between childhood and maturity, esp adolescence and early adulthood
-
the freshness, vigour, or vitality characteristic of young people
youth shone out from her face
-
any period of early development
the project was in its youth
-
a young person, esp a young man or boy
-
young people collectively
youth everywhere is rising in revolt
Youth
2
British
/ juːθ /
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of youth
First recorded before 900; Middle English youthe, Old English geoguth; cognate with Dutch jeugd, German Jugend
Explanation
If you're not a little kid anymore, but you're not really an adult yet, you can describe this period of your life as your youth. You can use the noun youth in several ways — you might refer to a kid as a youth, describe the group of teenagers hanging out downtown as youth, or talk about the time in your life when you were young and carefree as your youth. In all cases, youth comes from the Old English geoguth, which is closely related to the root of young: geong.
Vocabulary lists containing youth
"Chicago" by Carl Sandburg
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"The New England Primer"
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Spelling Practice, Unit 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The lack of opportunity is putting many young adults at a disadvantage as youth unemployment rises.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026
Former gang member Kevin Martin, who now works with a youth organisation in Glasgow, said those carrying knives were doing so "out of fear and peer pressure".
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
Mark moved to Germany with his son when Christian, then 15, was invited to play in Borussia Dortmund’s youth system.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026
Yet the job market that fresh graduates enter is no longer as rosy as it once was, with high youth unemployment a significant concern.
From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026
I had hardly ever seen a handsome youth; never in my life spoken to one.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
