juvie

[joo-vee]

noun

Slang.

1. a juvenile, especially a juvenile delinquent.

2. juvenile court.

3. juvenile detention center.

Word History and Origins

Origin of juvie¹

First recorded in 1940–45; by shortening and alteration

Example Sentences

“He spent time in ‘juvie,’ became a ward of the state.”

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“Shiny suit. Expensive shoes. You’ve gotta have money to have a lawyer like that. Maybe he can help me out too. Or maybe I can look after you. Keep you safe once we get to juvie. It won’t cost your family much.”

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“Two and a half years in juvie and I’m banned from using a computer.”

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Two and a half years in juvie didn’t sound generous to Sara, but it probably wasn’t much worse than her last few foster homes.

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Like a gender-inverted "Superbad," Sennott and Edebiri's characters start a high school fight club under the false pretense of going to juvie and believing in women's solidarity all in an effort to have sex with the school's hot cheerleaders.

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Related Words

• felon 
• hoodlum 
• juvenile delinquent 
• lawbreaker 
• offender 
• wrongdoer