adolescence

American  

[ad-l-es-uhns] / ˌæd lˈɛs əns /

noun

1. the transitional period between puberty and adulthood in human development, extending mainly over the teen years and terminating legally when the age of majority is reached; youth.

2. the process or state of growing to maturity.

3. a period or stage of development, as of a society, preceding maturity.

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adolescence British  

/ ˌædəˈlɛsəns /

noun

1. the period in human development that occurs between the beginning of puberty and adulthood

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adolescence Scientific  

/ ăd′l-ĕs′əns /

1. The period of physical and psychological development from puberty to the onset of adulthood.

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Etymology

Origin of adolescence

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin adolēscentia, from adolēscent-, stem of adolēscēns “growing up” ( see adolescent) + -ia -ia ( def. )

Explanation

The period of time when you physically and emotionally transition from childhood to adulthood is called adolescence. Basically it's when you're old enough to want to be an adult, but young enough that no one takes you seriously! The noun adolescence comes from the Latin word adolescere, which means "to ripen" or "to grow up." So it makes sense that we use it to describe that unique age when kids start growing into something closer to grown-ups. Adolescence can also refer more specifically to puberty. When you were in your adolescence, it bothered you when your parents pried into your life. But now that your kids are adolescents, you do the same thing to them.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

adolescence

Smartphones were permitted a long and awkward adolescence: Remember when BlackBerrys were status symbols?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

She said there was a "higher risk of depression, anxiety, poor sleep and poor health in adolescence that arises from smartphone use".

From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026

Suzuki exudes the fragility and buoyancy of adolescence, playing Fuki as someone constantly imbibing the world, rarely revealing what she’s doing with that stimulus.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026

That pattern raises the possibility that psychopathy may be connected to differences in brain development across childhood and adolescence.

From Science Daily ● May 10, 2026

He was only twelve then, but he could have been twenty-two: his quick-fire intelligence was already being cooled by gravity, the brittle self-assuredness of adolescence already annealing into the self-confidence of adulthood.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Related Words

• boyhood
• teens