ENGLISH
REFERENCE

teenage

adj.
US //ˈtiˌneɪdʒ// UK //tˈiːneɪdʒ// teenage
  1. 1 aged 13 to 19 (adj.)
    A2 Elementary

    relating to people who are between 13 and 19 years old.

    denoting a person within the age range of thirteen to nineteen; non-gradable in its literal sense.

    Example

    My teenage daughter spends a lot of time talking to her friends online.

    Example

    The study focused on teenage sleep patterns, suggesting that biological shifts during adolescence often lead to later bedtimes.

    Pitfall
    He is a teenage.
    He is a teenager.

    Use 'teenage' as an adjective before a noun. Use 'teenager' as the noun for the person.

  2. 2 typical of teenagers (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    typical of the behavior, fashion, or interests of people in their teens.

    characteristic of the culture, attitudes, or social behaviors associated with adolescence.

    Example

    The movie captures the feeling of teenage rebellion perfectly.

    Example

    The brand's marketing strategy successfully tapped into teenage anxieties about social status and peer acceptance.

Etymology 1

From -teen + age. First attested in 1921.

Etymology 2

From teen (Kentish variant of tine (“enclose within a wattle fence”)) + -age (suffix forming abstract nouns). First attested circa 1700.

Word family

© 2026 English Reference