juvenile
word
/ˈdʒuvəˌnaɪɫ/
JOO-vuh-nyl
/dʒˈuːvənˌaɪl/
JOO-vuh-nyl
Definition
Referring to a young person, especially someone who is not yet an adult. It can also mean something related to youth, or describe immature behavior.
Usage & Nuances
'Juvenile' is formal and often used in legal or academic contexts (e.g., 'juvenile court', 'juvenile crime'). As an adjective, it can describe childish or immature behavior. Don't use it to replace 'teenager' or 'child' in daily speech.
Spanish: juvenil - menor (de edad)Portuguese (BR): juvenil - menor (idade)Portuguese (PT): juvenil - menor (idade)Chinese (Simplified): 青少年 - 未成年Chinese (Traditional): 青少年 - 未成年Hindi: किशोर - नाबालिगArabic: حدث - صغير السنBengali: কিশোর - অপ্রাপ্তবয়স্কRussian: несовершеннолетний - ювенильныйJapanese: 少年の - 未成年のVietnamese: vị thành niên - thiếu niênKorean: 청소년의 - 미성년의Turkish: genç - çocukça - reşit olmayanUrdu: نابالغ - کم عمرIndonesian: remaja - anak-anak - belum dewasa
Example Sentences
The juvenile bird could not fly yet.
basic
He was sent to a juvenile detention center.
basic
The law treats juvenile offenders differently from adults.
basic
Stop making those juvenile jokes—they aren't funny.
natural
She volunteered at a juvenile shelter every weekend.
natural
That prank felt a bit too juvenile for college students.
natural