juvenile

1 of 2

adjective

ju·​ve·​nile ˈjü-və-ˌnī(-ə)l How to pronounce juvenile (audio) -nᵊl How to pronounce juvenile (audio)
1
: physiologically immature or undeveloped : young
juvenile birds
2
a
: of, relating to, characteristic of, or suitable for children or young people
juvenile fiction
b
: of or relating to young people who have committed or are accused of committing a criminal offense
the juvenile justice system
juvenile crime
3
: reflecting psychological or intellectual immaturity : childish
juvenile behavior
juvenile pranks
told him he was being juvenile
4
: derived from sources within the earth and coming to the surface for the first time
used especially of water and gas

juvenile

2 of 2

noun

plural juveniles
1
a
: a young person : youth
often, specifically : an individual who is under an age fixed by law (such as 18 years) at which he or she would be charged as an adult for a criminal act
… some states also have been changing their laws to give school administrators more access to the records of juveniles whose cases were processed by juvenile courts. Peter Schmidt
b
: a book for children or young people
2
: a young individual resembling an adult of its kind except in size and reproductive activity: such as
a
: a fledged bird not yet in adult plumage
b
: a 2-year-old racehorse
3
: an actor or actress who plays youthful parts

Examples of juvenile in a Sentence

Adjective She criticized his juvenile behavior at the party. a juvenile alligator just hatched from its egg Noun She works to keep juveniles away from drugs. a medical study that followed juveniles through adolescence and into adulthood
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The properties include schools, child care centers, juvenile detention or correctional facilities, libraries, parks, playfields intended for sports, playgrounds, recreation centers and more. Dana Afana, Detroit Free Press, 19 Oct. 2024 The teenager was arrested Wednesday and is charged with first-degree murder, first-degree assault, possession of a handgun by a juvenile and a sentence-enhancing charge for an aggravated juvenile offender, the district attorney’s office said in a news release Friday. Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 18 Oct. 2024
Noun
The 15-year-old boy was arrested the day of the shooting and was being held in a detention facility for juveniles Thursday. Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 25 Oct. 2024 No other details about the teen or case were released because the suspect is a juvenile. Adams County sheriff’s deputies responded to a shooting at Rotella Park at 1824 Coronado Pkwy. Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 18 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for juvenile 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'juvenile.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

French or Latin; French juvénile, from Latin juvenilis, from juvenis young person — more at young

First Known Use

Adjective

1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1733, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of juvenile was in 1625

Dictionary Entries Near juvenile

Cite this Entry

“Juvenile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/juvenile. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

juvenile

1 of 2 adjective
ju·​ve·​nile ˈjü-və-ˌnīl How to pronounce juvenile (audio) -vən-ᵊl How to pronounce juvenile (audio)
1
: showing incomplete development : immature, childish
2
: of, relating to, or characteristic of children or young people
juvenility
ˌjü-və-ˈnil-ət-ē
noun

juvenile

2 of 2 noun
1
: a young person, animal, or plant
2
: a book for young people
3
: an actor who plays youthful parts

Medical Definition

juvenile

1 of 2 adjective
ju·​ve·​nile ˈjü-və-ˌnīl How to pronounce juvenile (audio) -vən-ᵊl How to pronounce juvenile (audio)
1
: physiologically immature or undeveloped
juvenile fish
2
: of, relating to, characteristic of, or affecting children or young people
juvenile arthritis
3
: reflecting psychological or intellectual immaturity
juvenile behavior

juvenile

2 of 2 noun
1
: a young person
especially : one below the legally established age (as of 18) of adulthood
2
: a young individual resembling an adult of its kind except in size and reproductive activity

Legal Definition

juvenile

noun
ju·​ve·​nile
ˈjü-və-ˌnīl, -nəl
: an individual who is under an age fixed by law (as 18 years) at which he or she would be charged as an adult for a criminal act compare minor

More from Merriam-Webster on juvenile

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