English Reference
adjective

teenage

adj.
US /ˈtiˌneɪdʒ/ UK /tˈiːneɪdʒ/ teenage

  1. 01 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.

    Simple

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

    In context

    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. 02 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.

    Simple

    The movie captures the feeling of teenage rebellion perfectly.

    In context

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

Usage teenage girl · teenage years · teenage boys


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.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Common
Updated