youth

The word “youth” means the period of life between childhood and adulthood. In plain terms, the early years of a person's life, or young people as a group.

“Youth” is pronounced yooth (/juθ/ in IPA).

Here is “youth” used in a sentence: “He spent his youth travelling around Europe.”

“Youth” is a noun.

The word “youth” comes from Old English. From Old English ġeoguþ, formed from the same root as young plus an abstract noun ending, so it originally just meant "the state of being young.".

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

“Youth” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the period of life between childhood and adulthood.

The two overlap but aren't identical. Adolescence is the biological and psychological stage of puberty, roughly the early to late teens. Youth is broader and more social, covering the whole span between childhood and full adulthood, sometimes into the twenties. Adolescence emphasizes development; youth emphasizes the phase of life itself.

'Youth' carries three main senses. It names the period of life between childhood and adulthood ('in her youth'), the quality of being young ('full of youth and energy'), and a young person, usually male ('a youth waited outside'). It can also refer to young people collectively, as in 'the youth of today.'

The main opposites are age, old age, and maturity — the later stages of life that follow. 'Adulthood' contrasts with youth as a life stage, while 'old age' sits at the far end. As a quality, the reverse of youthful energy is the experience, or sometimes the weariness, that comes with getting older.

Youth is seen as a formative time when identity, values, and skills take shape, setting the direction for adult life. It's often associated with energy, learning, and possibility. Societies invest heavily in this stage through education and opportunity, and many cultures romanticize it as a period of freedom before adult responsibilities arrive.