Juvenile
ˈdʒuːvənaɪl
Definitions
2 meaningsRelating to young people; youthful or immature.
ˈdʒuːvənaɪl
Relating to young people or the young stage of life.
The movie features a juvenile cast.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're talking about kids or teenagers. If something is *juvenile*, it means it's connected to them, like their age or their actions. It's like when you say something is 'childish,' but a bit more grown-up.
👶 For kids: It means something about kids or teenagers, like a young person or something they do.
More Examples
The article discusses juvenile crime rates.
Her juvenile behavior surprised everyone.
How It's Used
"Juvenile court deals with crimes committed by minors."
"Juvenile animals often have different appearances from adults."
A young person; especially a young person who is not yet an adult.
ˈdʒuːvənaɪl
A young person.
The court dealt with the juvenile's case.
💡 Simply: A *juvenile* is simply a young person, like a kid or a teenager. It's the official term used in some places, especially when talking about the law and young people.
👶 For kids: A juvenile is a kid or a young person who isn't grown up yet.
More Examples
The shelter provides support for homeless juveniles.
The program is designed to rehabilitate juveniles.
How It's Used
"The juvenile was released to his parents."
"Helping juveniles is often a priority for social workers."
From Latin *juvenilis* 'youthful,' derived from *juvenis* 'young.' The word has been used in English since the late 14th century.
The word 'juvenile' has been used in legal and social contexts since the 19th century to differentiate between adult and underage populations.
Memory tip
Think of a *juvenile* offender in a youth detention center; they are young.