adolescent

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A young person who is no longer a child but not yet an adult; a teenager.

   As an adolescent, he spent most of his free time playing football.

2. 2
   adj

   Relating to the years between childhood and adulthood.

   Many adolescent friendships last a lifetime.

3. 3
   adj

   Showing a childish lack of maturity.

   His adolescent jokes were not welcome in a serious meeting.

Simplified etymology

Adolescent entered English in the late Middle Ages from Latin adolescere, “to grow to maturity.” That verb is based on alescere, “to grow up,” which in turn derives from alere, “to nourish” or “give food to.” Adult comes from the same Latin verb.

First attested ?1440, from Middle English adolescent, from Middle French adolescent or directly from Latin adolescentem, accusative form of adolescens, present participle of adolēscere (“to become adult, grow up”), from ad- (“to”) + alēscere (“to grow or become nourished”). The adjective first appeared in 1785.

Topics

External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary