teenager
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of teenager
Explanation
If you're younger than 20 but older than 12, congratulations! You're a teenager! Teenagers are also known as teens or adolescents. Generally, teenagers have finished elementary school, are growing fairly quickly, and are in the last stage of development before they become official adults. As a teenager, the things you may do include graduating from high school, getting a driver's license, and working at a paid job. Before teenager was coined in the 1920s, the word was teener.
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 staff knew I was just a teenager but they looked the other way.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026
It was one of the few occasions bowlers have tested the teenager with significant swing in this year's tournament.
From BBC • May 7, 2026
The teenager told him to shut up, before McNab fell beside a traffic island in the street.
From BBC • May 6, 2026
In 2023, we likened FSD to a teenager with a learner’s permit.
From Barron's • May 3, 2026
The teenager came back with two men who helped the old man to his feet and carried him out of the alley.
From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat
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.
