English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
noun Common

teens

teenz

Teens (noun) means the years of a person's life from thirteen to nineteen. Example: “She started painting in her early teens.”

noun
1
The years of a person's life from thirteen to nineteen.
"She started painting in her early teens."
2
The numbers from thirteen to nineteen, or a decade such as the 1910s or 2010s.
"Temperatures were in the teens overnight."

How to Use Teens

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishUsually refers to someone's teenage years, or numbers/temperatures in the range 13-19.

Common pairings
in your teens early/late teens
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “teens” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

She started painting in her early _____.

Etymology

From the final syllable shared by the numbers thirteen through nineteen.

adolescence teenage years teenagers adolescents youngsters youth

Related Words

Rhymes for teens

See all rhymes for teens →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “teens” mean?

The word “teens” means the years of a person's life from thirteen to nineteen. In plain terms, usually refers to someone's teenage years, or numbers/temperatures in the range 13-19.

How do you pronounce “teens”?

“Teens” is pronounced teenz (/tiːnz/ in IPA).

How do you use “teens” in a sentence?

Here is “teens” used in a sentence: “She started painting in her early teens.”

What part of speech is “teens”?

“Teens” is a noun.

Is “teens” a common word?

“Teens” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “teens” have?

“Teens” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the years of a person's life from thirteen to nineteen.

What is the difference between "teens" and "teenagers"?

"Teens" can mean both the years from thirteen to nineteen ("in her teens") and, informally, teenagers themselves. "Teenagers" refers only to the young people, so "teens" is the broader and more flexible term.

What ages count as the "teens"?

The teens are the years from thirteen to nineteen, the numbers whose English names end in "-teen." A twelve-year-old is therefore a "pre-teen," and someone who has turned twenty is in their twenties, just outside the teens.

Is "teens" always plural?

In the sense of an age range or number range, teens is used in the plural, as in "your teens" or "the mid teens." The singular "teen" is usually an adjective or a short form of "teenager."

Featured In

People Also Searched

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial