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Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. adj. Not fully grown or developed; young.
  2. adj. Of, relating to, characteristic of, intended for, or appropriate for children or young people: juvenile fashions.
  3. adj. Marked by immaturity; childish: juvenile behavior. See Synonyms at young.
  4. n. A young person; a child.
  5. n. A young animal that has not reached sexual maturity.
  6. n. An actor who plays roles of children or young persons.
  7. n. A children's book.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. Young; youthful: as, a juvenile manner; a juvenile part in a play.
  2. Pertaining or suited to youth: as, juvenile sports or books.
  3. Synonyms Boyish, Puerile, etc. See youthful.
  4. n. A young person; a youth.
  5. n. A book written for young persons or children.
  6. n. Theat., an actor who plays youthful parts: as, a first juvenile.

Wiktionary

  1. adj. young; not fully developed
  2. adj. characteristic of youth or immaturity; childish
  3. n. a prepubescent child
  4. n. a person not legally of age, or who is younger than may be charged with an offence
  5. n. an animal that is not sexually mature
  6. n. an actor playing a child's role

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. adj. Young; youthful.
  2. adj. Of or pertaining to youth.
  3. adj. Characteristic of children; immature; childish; puerile; infantile.
  4. n. A young person or youth; -- used sportively or familiarly.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. a young person, not fully developed
  2. adj. displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity
  3. adj. of or relating to or characteristic of or appropriate for children or young people

Etymologies

  1. Latin iuvenīlis, from iuvenis, young; see yeu- in Indo-European roots.

Examples

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Lists

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Comments

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  • Prolagus Giovanile, in Italian, is used to describe a person that looks younger than he/she really is. It usually has the opposite effect: remarking the actual age of the person. Mar 28, 2009

‘juvenile’ has been looked up 2203 times, loved by 1 person, added to 18 lists, commented on 1 time, and has a Scrabble score of 18.