# juvenile

/ˈdʒuvəˌnaɪɫ/ (US) · /dʒˈuːvənˌaɪl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/juvenile
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. young or developing

adjective · CEFR B2

relating to young people or animals that are still growing.

For teachers: relating to or characteristic of young people or animals that have not yet reached physiological or legal maturity.

- The scientist studied the juvenile birds as they learned to fly.
- The research team monitored the juvenile population of sea turtles to determine if the nesting grounds were successfully supporting the next generation.

### 2. childish

adjective · CEFR B2

acting in a silly way that is more typical of a child than an adult.

For teachers: displaying a lack of maturity or seriousness; often used pejoratively to describe adult behaviour.

- He made a juvenile joke that nobody in the office found funny.
- The critic dismissed the film's humour as juvenile, arguing that the script relied too heavily on cheap physical gags rather than clever dialogue.

### 3. a young person

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

a young person who is not yet an adult in the eyes of the law.

For teachers: an individual who has not yet reached the age of majority; frequently used in legal contexts regarding criminal responsibility.

- The court decided to treat the suspect as a juvenile because of his age.
- Legislators are currently debating whether certain violent crimes should allow a juvenile to be tried in an adult court system.

### 4. a young animal

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

an animal that is not yet fully grown or able to breed.

For teachers: a young animal that has not yet reached sexual maturity or its adult plumage/coat.

- The juveniles of this species look very different from the adults.
- Identifying the species can be difficult because the juveniles often lack the distinctive markings found on mature specimens.

## Examples

- The court handles cases involving any juvenile who breaks the law.
- The wildlife sanctuary provides a safe space for every rescued juvenile to grow before being released.
- Legal systems often distinguish between a juvenile and an adult to ensure that rehabilitation remains the primary focus for younger offenders.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.