youth
Pluralyouths (some meanings)
- 1Young people of a place or time, thought of together as one group.
The youth of today love using new phones and apps.
Many leaders want to give the youth more chances to learn.
UsageNo a here: the youth means young people. A youth is one young person, usually a boy or young man.
Similarteenagers, kids, youngsters, teens, adolescents
Oppositeelders
- 2The time of life when you are young, after being a child and before being an adult.
Like the early morning of life, before the full day of being grown up.
She spent her youth on a small farm in the countryside.
In his youth he could run for hours without getting tired.
UsageSay in my youth or in her youth for the time when someone was young.
Similaradolescence, teens
- 3A young person, most often a teenage boy or young man.
A tall youth helped the old man carry his bags up the steps.
The youth waved at his friends across the street.
UsageOften in news reports: two youths. It can sound cold, so young man or teenager is friendlier.
- 4The state of being young, before a person grows old.
Her smile was full of youth and joy.
With youth comes a lot of energy and curiosity.
UsageOften after of: the energy of youth, the fountain of youth.
Similaryouthfulness, juvenility
Practice
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Origin
From an Old English word meaning the state of being young. It comes from 'young' plus a suffix that makes an abstract noun.
Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 2 facts
- Youth derives from an Old English word meaning the state of being young. en.wiktionary.org
- The etymological formation corresponds to young plus an abstract-noun suffix. en.wiktionary.org