# young

/ˈjəŋ/ (US) · /jˈʌŋ/ (UK) · CEFR A1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/young
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

having lived or existed for only a short time. You use this to describe people, animals, or things that are not old yet.

For teachers: being in an early stage of life, growth, or development. Often used to describe the initial phase of a biological or geological process.

## Examples

- The young girl is learning to ride a bike.
- The shelter is looking for families willing to adopt young kittens that need extra care.
- In geological terms, these mountains are relatively young, having been formed by tectonic activity only a few million years ago compared to the ancient cratons nearby.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The youngs are the future." but "The young are the future." — When using 'young' as a noun to refer to a group of people, it is an uncountable collective noun and does not take an 's'.

## Usage notes

- Typically placed before the noun it modifies or after a linking verb like 'be' or 'seem'.

---

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.