- Being in an early period of life, development, or growth.
- Newly begun or formed; not advanced: The evening is still young.
- Of, belonging to, or suggestive of youth or early life: He is young for his age.
- Vigorous or fresh; youthful.
- Lacking experience; immature: a young hand at plowing.
- Being the junior of two people having the same name.
- Geology. Being of an early stage in a geologic cycle. Used of bodies of water and land formations.
- Young persons considered as a group; youth: entertainment for the young.
- Offspring; brood: a lioness with her young.
with young
- Pregnant. Used of an animal.
[Middle English yong, from Old English geong.]
youngness young'ness n.SYNONYMS young, youthful, adolescent, immature, juvenile, puerile, green. These adjectives mean of, relating to, characteristic of, or being in an early period of growth or development. Young is the most general of the terms: a young child. Youthful suggests characteristics, such as enthusiasm, freshness, or energy, that are associated with youth: youthful ardor. Adolescent specifically implies the characteristics of those in the period between childhood and maturity: adolescent insecurity. Immature applies to what is not yet fully developed; it sometimes suggests that someone falls short of an expected level of maturity: an emotionally immature adult. Juvenile connotes immaturity, often childishness: the juvenile pranks of the conventioneers. Puerile is used derogatorily to suggest silliness, foolishness, or infantilism: a puerile joke. Green implies lack of training or experience and sometimes callowness: green recruits who couldn't deal with the emergency.
