Etymologically
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juvenile

Etymology and origin of the English word juvenile

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1625
Borrowed from
French juvénile
Ultimate origin
Latin (iuvenis)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French juvénile
English juvenile

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈd͡ʒuːvənaɪl/ (UK); /ˈd͡ʒuvəˌnaɪl/, /ˈd͡ʒuvən(ə)l/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from French juvénile and directly Latin iuvenīlis (“of youth, youthful”),[2][3][4] from iuvenis (“young; a young man”) (see young).[3][2][5] In Roman use a iuvenis was in the age just beyond adolescence, from 21 or 25 to 40.[3][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Young, youthful: 1625, in Francis Bacon's Essays, in Barnhart, the OED and Merriam-Webster.[2][6][4]

Semantic evolution

Belonging to or suited for youth is from 1661 (the 1660s).[6][3] The noun, a young person, is from 1733,[2][3][4] an actor who plays youthful parts from 1890, and a children's book from 1849.[6] Juvenile delinquency is first recorded in 1816, and juvenile delinquent the following year.[3][2] The slang juvie is from 1941 for a juvenile delinquent and 1967 for juvenile detention.[3] Juvenilia, works produced in one's youth, is a 17th-century borrowing.[5]

Timeline

  • 1625 – juvenile, young.[2][6]
  • 1661 – suited to youth.[6]
  • 1733 – a young person.[2][3]
  • 1816 – juvenile delinquency.[3][2]
  • 1941 – juvie.[3]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Young; not fully grown or developed.
  2. Relating to, suited to or intended for young people: juvenile court.
  3. Childish; immature.

Noun

  1. A young person; in law, a minor.
  2. A young animal not yet sexually mature.
  3. An actor who plays young roles.

Word family

  • juvenilely
  • juvenileness
  • prejuvenile
  • unjuvenile
  • juvenilize
  • juvenility
  • juvenile diabetes
  • juvenile hormone

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ a b Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c d e Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Juvenile.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/juvenile. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·