underage

¹

[uhn-der-eyj]

adjective

1. lacking the required age, especially that of legal maturity.

underage

²

[uhn-der-ij]

noun

1. shortage; deficiency in amount.

underage

/ ˌʌndərˈeɪdʒ /

adjective

1. below the required or standard age, esp below the legal age for voting or drinking

Word History and Origins

Origin of underage¹

First recorded in 1585–95; under- + age

Origin of underage²

First recorded in 1605–15; under- + -age

Example Sentences

Yet underage workers don’t necessarily understand the documents they are told to sign, according to youths and their parents.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Jose and thousands of other children and teenagers are part of a faceless legion of underage workers in California who put fresh fruit and vegetables on America’s tables.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“That’s a nice offer, kiddo, but I’m pretty sure Ship would fire me if I put one of the underage tenants to work.”

Read more on Literature

They immediately reported her as an underage runaway to the authorities, and the moment Mariona was about to board a boat back to Barcelona, she was arrested.

Read more on BBC

That didn’t stop the New York Times from piling on, revealing heartbreaking details about the underage girl whose allegations upended Gaetz’s career.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• adolescent