junior varsity

American  

noun

Sports.

junior varsities plural

1. a university, college, or school team that consists of players who lack the qualifications or skill necessary for the varsity and compete against other teams of similar composition or ability.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• junior varsities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of junior varsity

First recorded in 1945–50

Compare meaning

How does junior-varsity compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• varsity vs. junior varsity

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

junior varsity

The priority is getting on scouts’ radar as quickly as possible—and a season or two on junior varsity is unacceptable.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 22, 2026

Even though Centennial had only six players available much of the season for varsity action, Cole created a junior varsity team, so help is on the way if the team gets a playoff spot.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 1, 2026

Not bad for someone who played on the junior varsity team as a freshman at St. Bernard.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 25, 2026

Eventually, Little would play in junior varsity football games as a punter, before jumping up to varsity level.

From BBC ● Jan. 8, 2026

By the mile-and-a-half mark, the freshmen had opened a sliver of water between the rear of their boat and the varsity’s bow, and they were beginning to close on the junior varsity out front.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown