junior

The word “junior” means lower in rank, position, or seniority. In plain terms, lower-ranking or younger — used for job titles, school years, and to distinguish a son from a father of the same name.

“Junior” is pronounced JOO-nee-uh (/ˈd͡ʒuniɚ/ in IPA).

Here is “junior” used in a sentence: “She started as a junior analyst straight out of university.”

Depending on how it is used, “junior” can be an adjective and a noun.

The word “junior” comes from Latin. From Latin junior, "younger," the comparative form of iuvenis, "young" — the same root as juvenile.

“Junior” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Junior” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: lower in rank, position, or seniority.

Junior and senior are direct opposites of rank. Junior means lower in position, authority, or seniority, while senior means higher. A junior employee reports to a senior one; a junior partner has less standing than a senior partner. The words also mark age order, as in naming a son after his father.

Not necessarily. In its main sense, junior refers to rank or seniority rather than age, so a junior colleague could be older than a senior one. It does carry an age meaning in some uses, such as junior school or a father-and-son pair, but at work it usually signals experience and position.

No, junior is neutral and descriptive rather than an insult. It simply places someone lower in a hierarchy, often early in a career with room to grow. Titles like junior developer or junior doctor are standard and respected. It only sounds negative if used to belittle someone's experience or dismiss their opinion.