young
yuhng
Young (adjective) means In an early stage of life; not yet old. Example: “Their two young children are still in primary school.”
adjective
1
In an early stage of life; not yet old.
"Their two young children are still in primary school."
"She looks young for her age."
"A young man held the door open for us."
2
Having existed for only a short time; new or immature.
"The company is young but growing fast."
"It's a young industry, so the rules are still being written."
"Because the project is still young, we expect a few teething problems."
noun
1
The offspring of an animal, especially when still immature.
"The lioness fiercely protects her young."
"The mother duck led her young across the road."
"Many birds feed their young on insects in the spring."
How to use young
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNot old — early in life, or new.
Common pairings
young at heart
young generation
the young
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Word forms
- Plural
- youngs
- Third person singular
- youngs
- Past tense
- younged
- Comparative
- younger
- Superlative
- youngest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Their two _____ children are still in primary school.
Etymology
From Old English ġeong, going back through Proto-Germanic to a Proto-Indo-European root also behind the Latin-derived word "juvenile."
Synonyms
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Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “young” mean?
The word “young” means in an early stage of life; not yet old. In plain terms, not old — early in life, or new.
How do you pronounce “young”?
“Young” is pronounced yuhng (/jʌŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “young” in a sentence?
Here is “young” used in a sentence: “Their two young children are still in primary school.”
What is another word for “young”?
Words with a similar meaning to “young” include junior, baby-faced, hebetic, youngling, youngly and youngsome.
What is the opposite of “young”?
The opposite of “young” — its antonyms — are old, aged, grown up, senior and youthless.
What part of speech is “young”?
Depending on how it is used, “young” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “young” come from?
The word “young” comes from Latin. From Old English ġeong, going back through Proto-Germanic to a Proto-Indo-European root also behind the Latin-derived word "juvenile.".
Is “young” a common word?
“Young” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between "young" and "youthful"?
"Young" states a fact about age: being at an early stage of life. "Youthful" describes qualities linked with youth, such as energy, freshness, or looks, whatever the person's real age. A child is young; a lively seventy-year-old can be youthful. So someone can be youthful without being young.
What is the opposite of "young"?
The main opposite is "old," meaning at a late or advanced stage of life. Related opposites include "elderly," "aged," and "mature," each with its own shade. "Young" and "old" form the basic pair, as in "young and old alike," covering both ends of the range of age.
Is "young" a positive word?
It is usually neutral to positive, but it depends on context. "Young" can suggest freshness, energy, and promise, which sounds flattering. Yet it can also imply inexperience or immaturity, as in "too young to understand." The plain meaning is simply "early in life"; the tone comes from how it is used.
What is an example of "young"?
"A young child" is one only a few years old. "The night is young" means it is still early. "A young company" is one recently founded. "Young leaves" have just grown. In each case, "young" marks something near the start of its life or existence rather than well advanced.
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