young en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /jʊŋ/ (Northern-England)
- /jʊŋɡ/ (Northern-England)
- (Received-Pronunciation) audio
- /jʌŋ/
- (General-American) audio
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English yong, yonge, from Old English ġeong, from Proto-West Germanic *jung, from Proto-Germanic *jungaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂yuHn̥ḱós, from *h₂yuh₁en- (“young”). Cognates Cognate with Alemannic German jung, jungu, junhs, jungà, jòng (“young”), Bavarian junk (“young”), Central Franconian, Luxembourgish jonk (“young”), Cimbrian djung, jung, junk (“young”), Dutch jong (“young”), German, German Low German, Mòcheno and Vilamovian jung (“young”), Limburgish jong, jonk (“young”), Yiddish יונג (yung, “young”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Swedish ung (“young”), Faroese, Icelandic ungur (“young”), Gothic 𐌾𐌿𐌲𐌲𐍃 (juggs, “young”).
Meanings
-
In the early part of growth or life; born not long ago.
At Columbia-Greene, staffers go for the most unadoptable animals to save them from euthanasia. The youngest, healthiest, cutest pets are waiting for you.
1998, Elizabeth Hess, Lost and Found:"What a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr. Darcy! There is nothing like dancing after all. I consider it as one of the first refinements of polished society."
1813, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice:a lamb is a young sheep
Irregular bedtimes may disrupt healthy brain development in young children, according to a study of intelligence and sleeping habits. ¶ Going to bed at a different time each night affected girls more than boys, but both fared worse on mental tasks than children who had a set bedtime, researchers found.
2013 July 19, Ian Sample, “Irregular bedtimes may affect children's brains”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 6, page 34:I stumbled along through the young pines and huckleberry bushes. Pretty soon I struck into a sort of path that, I cal'lated, might lead to the road I was hunting for. It twisted and turned, and, the first thing I knew, made a sudden bend around a bunch of bayberry scrub and opened out into a big clear space like a lawn.
1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, But to be young was very heaven!
1809 October 26, William Wordsworth, “The French Revolution as It Appeared to Enthusiasts at Its Commencement”, in Friend, No. 11, ll. 4-5:These concerns were shared by other SNP women who told the Guardian there was a chronic lack of support from the party, including for those with younger families.
2025 March 23, Libby Brooks and Severin Carrell, “‘Hostile environment’ drives many of SNP’s female MSPs to step down before 2026 vote”, in The Guardian:The number of young children in the US who have died from opioid overdoses has increased significantly, according to a new study on accidental poisonings of children 5 and younger.
2023 March 8, Jen Christensen, “Young children are increasingly victims of opioid epidemic, study finds”, in CNN:Come skydiving with us. Come on, you're only young once!
these picture books are for young readers
The factors related to increase in number of abscondings were younger age, psychiatric problems, multi-drug abuse and living alone.
1998, Arne Gerdner, Compulsory Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorders, page 85:
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At an early stage of existence or development; having recently come into existence.
A team of Irish astronomers have captured an out-of-this-world image of one of the youngest stars known to scientists.
2023 August 24, Mairead Sheehy, “Irish group captures 'advanced image' of one of the youngest stars known to scientists”, in Irish Examiner:[…] while the Fears of the People were young, they were encreas’d strangely by several odd Accidents […]
1722, Daniel Defoe, A Journal of the Plague Year, London: E. Nutt et al, page 23:Look at that sky, life's begun / Nights are warm and the days are young
1975, David Bowie, “Golden Years”, in Station to Station:the age of space travel is still young
a young business
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(qualifier:Not) advanced in age; (far towards or) at a specified stage of existence or age.
Her grandmother turned 70 years young last month.
And thou, our Mother, twice two centuries young, Bend with bright shafts of truth thy bow fresh-strung.
1906, Robertson Nicoll, Tis Forty Years Since, quoted in T. P.'s Weekly, volume 8, page 462How young is your dog?
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Junior (of two related people with the same name).
The young Mr. Chester must be in the wrong, and the old Mr. Chester must be in the right.
1841, The Museum of Foreign Literature, Science, and Art:
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Early (of a decade of life).
1922, E. Barrington, “The Mystery of Stella” in “The Ladies!” A Shining Constellation of Wit and Beauty, Boston: Atlantic Monthly Press, pp. 40-41, […] Miss Hessy is as pretty a girl as eye can see, in her young twenties and a bit of a fortune to boot.
[…] while this may appeal to older, better-off shoppers, vast numbers, especially those in their teens and young twenties, still want fast, cheap fashion.
2008 January 20, Alice Fisher, “Grown-up chic is back as high street goes upmarket”, in The Guardian:Ephraim would be in his young thirties.
1965, Muriel Spark, The Mandelbaum Gate, London: Macmillan, Part One, Chapter 1:
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Youthful; having the look or qualities of a young person.
Think of banking today and the image is of grey-suited men in towering skyscrapers. Its future, however, is being shaped in converted warehouses and funky offices in San Francisco, New York and London, where bright young things in jeans and T-shirts huddle around laptops, sipping lattes or munching on free food.
2013 August 3, “Revenge of the nerds”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8847:My grandmother is a very active woman and is quite young for her age.
-
Of or belonging to the early part of life.
The cynical world soon shattered my young dreams.
-
(obsolete) Having little experience; inexperienced; unpracticed; ignorant; weak.
Come, come, elder brother, you are too young in this.
c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| youngest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| younger | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Antonyms
elderly (antonym(s) of “having qualities of a young person”) · grown up (antonym(s) of “born not long ago”) · mature (antonym(s) of “inexperienced”) · old (antonym(s) of “born not long ago”) · senior (antonym(s) of “of or belonging to the early part of life”) · elderly (antonym(s) of “of or belonging to the early part of life”) · experienced (antonym(s) of “inexperienced”) · aged (antonym(s) of “born not long ago”) · aged (antonym(s) of “having qualities of a young person”) · veteran (antonym(s) of “inexperienced”) · youthless (antonym(s) of “born not long ago”) · senior (antonym(s) of “born not long ago”) · mature (antonym(s) of “having qualities of a young person”) · youthless (antonym(s) of “having qualities of a young person”) · old (antonym(s) of “having qualities of a young person”) · mature (antonym(s) of “of or belonging to the early part of life”) · elderly (antonym(s) of “born not long ago”)
Deriveds
ultrayoung (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · sweet young thing (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · you can't put a wise head on young shoulders (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · Younghusband (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young man (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · decades young (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young blood (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · youngfolks (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young fogey (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · youth is wasted on the young (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young earth creationism (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young money (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young Turk (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young adult (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young lady (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young pioneer (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · old head on young shoulders (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · only the good die young (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · Young Nick's Head (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young-ladyism (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · younglet (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · Young America (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · years young (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · youngness (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young donkey (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · youngish (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · youngster (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · youngling (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young ginger (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · overyoung (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · the good die young (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · younghead (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young moon (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young camel (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · youngblood (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · Younglove (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young Earth creationism (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · bright young thing (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · the night is young (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · younghood (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · bright young people (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · foo young (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · youngly (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young and keen (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · you can't put an old head on young shoulders (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · youngth (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young head (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · youngie (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young boul (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young-hearted (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · younglike (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · youngcel (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · youngman (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · wise head on young shoulders (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young offender (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · youngfolk (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young hand (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · while we're young (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · youngsome (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young buck (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young at heart (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young boy (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young stunna (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young ice (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young-ladyish (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · nonyoung (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · eat one's young (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young gun (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · Bright Young Thing (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · with young (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · unyoung (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young-earth creationism (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · young fustic (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · youngen (Terms derived from young (adjective)) · youngstock (Terms derived from young (adjective))
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
beardless · unbearded · Young & female: · boyish · Young & male: · girlish · nubile
Relateds
juvenal · unfledged · youth · callow · child · childish · active · inexperienced · young adulthood · immature · coltish · puerile
Synonyms
junior · underdeveloped (inexperienced) · youthly · baby-faced · undeveloped (inexperienced) · youthful (having qualities of a young person) · hebetic · youngsome · immature (inexperienced) · juvenile (of or belonging to the early part of life) · young · youthful (born not long ago) · youthsome · youngling · youngthly · juvenile (having qualities of a young person) · youngly
Translations (307)
wym jong (in the early part of life or growth) · ar حَدَث (in the early part of life or growth) · bg неопитен (having little experience) · ce къона (in the early part of life or growth) · mhn jung (in the early part of life or growth) · is ungur (in the early part of life or growth) · mr तरुण (in the early part of life or growth) · inh къона (in the early part of life or growth) · ar صَغِير (in the early part of life or growth) · km ក្មេង (in the early part of life or growth) · ban muda (in the early part of life or growth) · osx jung (in the early part of life or growth) · dlm jaun (in the early part of life or growth) · bg млад (in the early part of life or growth) · ug ياش (in the early part of life or growth) · mt żgħażagħ (in the early part of life or growth) · lv nepiedzīvojis (having little experience) · ne तन्नेरी (in the early part of life or growth) · ang geong (in the early part of life or growth) · osx giung (in the early part of life or growth) · nl jeugdig (as if young) · de jung (having little experience) · ba йәш (belonging in the early part of life) · la iuvenis (in the early part of life or growth) · hy երիտասարդ (in the early part of life or growth) · lad djoven (in the early part of life or growth) · vec xovane (in the early part of life or growth) · el νεαρός (in the early part of life or growth) · ja 若い (in the early part of life or growth) · be малады́ (in the early part of life or growth) · ru ю́ный (in the early part of life or growth) · alt јаш (in the early part of life or growth) · uk ю́ний (in the early part of life or growth) · fa جوان (in the early part of life or growth) · de jung (in the early part of life or growth) · su anom (as if young) · myv од (in the early part of life or growth) · la puella (in the early part of life or growth) · es chibolo (in the early part of life or growth) · oc jove (in the early part of life or growth) · mhr изи (in the early part of life or growth) · sa युवन् (in the early part of life or growth) · ne तरुण (in the early part of life or growth) · de jung (as if young) · cu ⰿⰾⰰⰴⱏ (in the early part of life or growth) · ccc shac̈hullo (in the early part of life or growth) · eu gazte (in the early part of life or growth) · hu fiatal (in the early part of life or growth) · fo ungur (in the early part of life or growth) · da ung (in the early part of life or growth) · mnc ᠠᠰᡳᡥᠠᠨ (in the early part of life or growth) · crh genç (in the early part of life or growth) · jv timur (in the early part of life or growth) · ce жима (in the early part of life or growth) · lad mansevo (in the early part of life or growth) · sh mlȃd (having little experience) · got 𐌾𐌿𐌲𐌲𐍃 (in the early part of life or growth) · uz kichik (in the early part of life or growth) · lmo gioven (in the early part of life or growth) · sh не̏искусан (having little experience) · sh мла̑д (having little experience) · lmo giovin (in the early part of life or growth) · izh noori (in the early part of life or growth) · lv jauns (in the early part of life or growth) · tr gençlik (belonging in the early part of life) · ba йәш (as if young) · sh nȅiskusan (having little experience) · nl jong (in the early part of life or growth) · kmr xort (in the early part of life or growth) · krc жаш (in the early part of life or growth) · rup tinir (in the early part of life or growth) · ko 젊다 (in the early part of life or growth) · sh mlȃd (belonging in the early part of life) · fur zovin (in the early part of life or growth) · za coz (in the early part of life or growth) · de jugendlich (in the early part of life or growth) · mk млад (in the early part of life or growth) · ota كورپه (having little experience) · os ӕрыгон (in the early part of life or growth) · br yaouank (in the early part of life or growth) · crh yaş (in the early part of life or growth) · ms muda (in the early part of life or growth) · ko 어리다 (in the early part of life or growth) · ro tânăr (in the early part of life or growth) · sh мла̑д (in the early part of life or growth) · fa بچه (having little experience) · ko 어리다 (as if young) · arz شب (in the early part of life or growth) · pt jovem (in the early part of life or growth) · tl bata (in the early part of life or growth) · ko 어리석다 (having little experience) · ota كورپه (in the early part of life or growth) · ml ഇളയതായ (in the early part of life or growth) · ps ځوان (in the early part of life or growth) · jv nèm (in the early part of life or growth) · xqa ياشْ (in the early part of life or growth) · vi trẻ (in the early part of life or growth) · sc giòvanu (in the early part of life or growth) · ar شَابّ (in the early part of life or growth) · pt de juventude (belonging in the early part of life) · sco yung (in the early part of life or growth) · hsb młody (in the early part of life or growth) · cy ifanc (in the early part of life or growth) · ain ペウレ (in the early part of life or growth) · fur ğovin (in the early part of life or growth) · cmn 年輕 /年轻 (in the early part of life or growth) · mww hluas (in the early part of life or growth) · sh мла̑д (belonging in the early part of life) · su anom (belonging in the early part of life) · mrw mangoda (in the early part of life or growth) · otk 𐰖𐰀𐰽 (in the early part of life or growth) · tr genç (as if young) · mak lolo (in the early part of life or growth) · mt żagħżugħ (in the early part of life or growth) · el άπλερος (in the early part of life or growth) · be ю́ны (in the early part of life or growth) · av гӏолохъанаб (in the early part of life or growth) · hi युवा (in the early part of life or growth) · sjd нӯрр (in the early part of life or growth) · et noor (in the early part of life or growth) · pdt junk (in the early part of life or growth) · de unerfahren (having little experience) · fi nuoruuden (belonging in the early part of life) · sv ung (in the early part of life or growth) · ru молодо́й (in the early part of life or growth) · bg младежки (belonging in the early part of life) · cu младъ (in the early part of life or growth) · nl jong (belonging in the early part of life) · ht jèn (in the early part of life or growth) · ko 이르다 (belonging in the early part of life) · fi nuori (in the early part of life or growth) · ar صَغِير اَلسِّنّ (in the early part of life or growth) · lmo giuin (in the early part of life or growth) · ia juvene (in the early part of life or growth) · sd جوان (in the early part of life or growth) · tt яшь (in the early part of life or growth) · pdc jung (in the early part of life or growth) · lzz bozo (in the early part of life or growth) · orv молодъ (in the early part of life or growth) · ist xuvena (in the early part of life or growth) · lad chiko (Monastir) (in the early part of life or growth) · scn giùvini (in the early part of life or growth) · es joven (in the early part of life or growth) · nrf janne (in the early part of life or growth) · kxd muda (in the early part of life or growth) · uz yosh (in the early part of life or growth) · sq rini (in the early part of life or growth) · evn илмакта (in the early part of life or growth) · mi taitamariki (in the early part of life or growth) · mt żagħżugħa (in the early part of life or growth) · haw ukali (in the early part of life or growth) · pl młody (in the early part of life or growth) · cv ҫамрӑк (in the early part of life or growth) · ga óg (in the early part of life or growth) · dng нянчин (in the early part of life or growth) · rm giuven (in the early part of life or growth) · se nuorra (in the early part of life or growth) · szl mody (in the early part of life or growth) · hu ifjú (in the early part of life or growth) · arz صغير (in the early part of life or growth) · fi kokematon (having little experience) · vi non (in the early part of life or growth) · eo juna (in the early part of life or growth) · my ငယ် (in the early part of life or growth) · cdo 年輕 /年轻 (in the early part of life or growth) · bn জোয়ান (in the early part of life or growth) · kaw nguḍa (in the early part of life or growth) · cs mladý (in the early part of life or growth) · cy ieuanc (in the early part of life or growth) · sw -dogo (in the early part of life or growth) · ky жаш (in the early part of life or growth) · th เด็ก (in the early part of life or growth) · qu wamra (in the early part of life or growth) · az gənc (in the early part of life or growth) · vot noori (in the early part of life or growth) · bn তরুণ (in the early part of life or growth) · it giovane (in the early part of life or growth) · bo གཞོན་ནུ (in the early part of life or growth) · hi तरुण (in the early part of life or growth) · af onervare (having little experience) · za nomj (in the early part of life or growth) · ps ځوان (having little experience) · tg ҷавон (in the early part of life or growth) · ps ځوان (as if young) · mdh manguda (in the early part of life or growth) · la iuvenis (in the early part of life or growth) · fy jong (in the early part of life or growth) · lmo giovena (in the early part of life or growth) · th อ่อน (having little experience) · dsb młody (in the early part of life or growth) · uk молоди́й (in the early part of life or growth) · fa جوان (as if young) · ota شاب (in the early part of life or growth) · af jonk (having little experience) · lou jènn (in the early part of life or growth) · yue 年輕 /年轻 (in the early part of life or growth) · csb młodi (in the early part of life or growth) · ba йәш (in the early part of life or growth) · xmf ახალგაზდა (in the early part of life or growth) · kaw nwam (in the early part of life or growth) · lt jaunas (in the early part of life or growth) · ja 若い (as if young) · nl onervaren (having little experience) · ab ақуҧш (in the early part of life or growth) · ga anársa (having little experience) · de jung (belonging in the early part of life) · sv ung (as if young) · yi יונג (in the early part of life or growth) · gl xove (in the early part of life or growth) · sms nuõrr (in the early part of life or growth) · gld наондёан (in the early part of life or growth) · nan-hbl 年輕 /年轻 (in the early part of life or growth) · th หนุ่ม (in the early part of life or growth) · la puer (in the early part of life or growth) · ta இளைய (in the early part of life or growth) · ltg jauns (in the early part of life or growth) · nl jong (having little experience) · ta இளம் (in the early part of life or growth) · bug lolo (in the early part of life or growth) · kjg ຫນຶມ (in the early part of life or growth) · non ungr (in the early part of life or growth) · ko 어리다 (having little experience) · sh mlȃd (as if young) · af jonk (in the early part of life or growth) · tk ýaş (in the early part of life or growth) · kn ತರುಣ (in the early part of life or growth) · ro june (in the early part of life or growth) · fi nuorekas (as if young) · pt jovem (as if young) · lb jonk (in the early part of life or growth) · ruq tinir (in the early part of life or growth) · ckb گەنج (in the early part of life or growth) · rue молоды́й (in the early part of life or growth) · nl jeugdig (in the early part of life or growth) · kim ниит (in the early part of life or growth) · bal جوان (in the early part of life or growth) · bn যুবতী (in the early part of life or growth) · af jonk (belonging in the early part of life) · tr genç (in the early part of life or growth) · fro juene (in the early part of life or growth) · pl młodzieńczy (belonging in the early part of life) · mn залуу (in the early part of life or growth) · th อ่อนวัย (as if young) · zza ciwan (in the early part of life or growth) · th สาว (in the early part of life or growth) · id muda (in the early part of life or growth) · fr jeune (in the early part of life or growth) · sh mlȃd (in the early part of life or growth) · jv nom (in the early part of life or growth) · az cavan (in the early part of life or growth) · gd òg (in the early part of life or growth) · kum яш (in the early part of life or growth) · ban nguda (in the early part of life or growth) · ca jove (in the early part of life or growth) · si තරුණ (in the early part of life or growth) · ttt cavan (in the early part of life or growth) · gv aeg (in the early part of life or growth) · mrw moda (in the early part of life or growth) · sw -changa (in the early part of life or growth) · ur جوان (in the early part of life or growth) · sh мла̑д (as if young) · ast xoven (in the early part of life or growth) · wuu 年輕 /年轻 (in the early part of life or growth) · ryu 若さん (in the early part of life or growth) · as ডেকা (in the early part of life or growth) · io yuna (in the early part of life or growth) · hak 年輕 /年轻 (in the early part of life or growth) · ru моложа́вый (as if young) · sl mlád (in the early part of life or growth) · os ӕвзонг (in the early part of life or growth) · gu યુવાન (in the early part of life or growth) · te యువ (in the early part of life or growth) · mba mangohod (in the early part of life or growth) · sk mladý (in the early part of life or growth) · grc νέος (in the early part of life or growth) · rom terno (in the early part of life or growth) · af jonk (as if young) · qu wayna (in the early part of life or growth) · kw yowynk (in the early part of life or growth) · jv enom (in the early part of life or growth) · ia juvene (as if young) · smn nuorâ (in the early part of life or growth) · he צָעִיר (in the early part of life or growth) · ru младо́й (in the early part of life or growth) · tly cıvon (in the early part of life or growth) · su anom (in the early part of life or growth) · kmr ciwan (in the early part of life or growth) · nl jong (as if young) · nio нумәә (in the early part of life or growth) · ne जवान (in the early part of life or growth) · fi nuori (having little experience) · lo ຍຸພະ (in the early part of life or growth) · an choven (in the early part of life or growth) · lzz biç̌i (in the early part of life or growth) · rcf zèn (in the early part of life or growth) · uga 𐎕𐎙𐎗 (in the early part of life or growth) · kk жас (in the early part of life or growth) · fro jovene (in the early part of life or growth) · ka ახალგაზრდა (in the early part of life or growth) · br yaouank (as if young) · ajp زغير (in the early part of life or growth) · bn যুবক (in the early part of life or growth) · sa कनीन (in the early part of life or growth) · la adolescens (in the early part of life or growth) · ckb گەنج (as if young) · no ung (in the early part of life or growth) · ia de juventute (belonging in the early part of life)