senior

[ seen-yer ]

/ ˈsin yər /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR senior ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

older or elder (designating the older of two men bearing the same name, as a father whose son is named after him, often written as Sr. or sr. following the name): I'd like to speak with the senior Mr. Hansen, please. I'm privileged to introduce Mr. Edward Andrew Hansen, Sr.Compare junior(def 1).

of earlier appointment or admission, as to an office, status, or rank: a senior partner.

of higher or the highest rank or standing.

(in American schools, colleges, and universities) of or relating to students in their final year or to their class.

(in certain American colleges and universities) of or relating to the final two years of education, during which a student specializes in a certain field of study.

of, for, or pertaining to a senior citizen or senior citizens as a group: senior discounts on local bus fares.

of earlier date; prior to: His appointment is senior to mine by a year.

Finance. having a claim on payments, assets, dividends, or the like prior to other creditors, mortgages, stockholders, etc.

noun

a person who is older than another.

a person of higher rank or standing than another, especially by virtue of longer service.

(in the U.S.) a student in the final year at a high school, preparatory school, college, or university.

a fellow holding senior rank in a college at an English university.

a senior citizen.

(initial capital letter) a member of the Girl Scouts from 14 through 17 years of age.

Nearby words

senile retinoschisis, senile tremor, senile vaginitis, senilism, senility, senior, senior aircraftman, senior airman, senior chief petty officer, senior citizen, senior common room

Origin of senior

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin, equivalent to sen(ex) old, old man + -ior comparative adj. suffix

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for senior

Stanley Richards, Senior Vice President of the Fortune Society, gave a tour along with a few residents.
His First Day Out Of Jail After 40 Years: Adjusting To Life Outside|Justin Rohrlich|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“Clean as a whistle,” says a senior investigator involved in the case.
Exclusive: Inside a Cop-Killer’s Final Hours|Michael Daly|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
E.J. Graff, senior fellow at the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism, is the author of What Is Marriage For?
The Real Story Behind the Fight for Marriage Equality|E.J. Graff|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Adam Thierer is a senior research fellow with the Technology Policy Program at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.
Why Do ‘Progressives’ Want to Ban Uber and AirBnB?|Adam Thierer, Christopher Koopman|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST

A senior Iranian official in Pakistan later confirmed the strike took place, declining to elaborate.
The Dangerous Drug-Funded Secret War Between Iran and Pakistan|Umar Farooq|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I called a council of the senior officers, who unanimously recommended that the attempt be abandoned; and so ended all our hopes.
The Narrative of a Blockade-Runner|John Wilkinson
Now I had more leisure while those ranking and senior to Courtney made their felicitations upon the royal birthday.
The Colonel of the Red Huzzars|John Reed Scott
The senior officers of the flagship stood grouped on the starboard rail.
Where Strongest Tide Winds Blew|Robert McReynolds
Students are told off into sections under the management of some senior students.
Castes and Tribes of Southern India|Edgar Thurston
If at any time one man needs to command, I, as senior officer, will take that command.
The Pathless Trail|Arthur O. (Arthur Olney) Friel

British Dictionary definitions for senior (1 of 2)

senior

/ (ˈsiːnjə) /

adjective

higher in rank or length of service

older in yearssenior citizens

of or relating to adulthood, maturity, or old agesenior privileges

education

of, relating to, or designating more advanced or older pupils
of or relating to a secondary school

US of, relating to, or designating students in the fourth and final year at college

noun

a senior person

an elderly person

a senior pupil, student, etc
a fellow of senior rank in an English university

Word Origin for senior

C14: from Latin: older, from senex old

British Dictionary definitions for senior (2 of 2)

Senior

/ (ˈsiːnjə) /

adjective

mainly US being the older: used to distinguish the father from the son with the same first name or namesCharles Parker, Senior Abbreviation: Sr, Sen

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012