juvenile
- adjective
- /ˈdʒuːvəˌnaɪl/
- The book is filled with juvenile humor that makes it perfect for young readers.
- juvenile justice
- juvenile delinquency
- juvenile court
They were all in juvenile jails and I wasn't.
- They were all in juvenile jails and I wasn't.
- So I'm out there publicly doing talks at colleges, at schools, high schools, at the juvenile centers.
- Or, or actually juvenile too, novels and mostly for boys, adventure stuff.
- And so I take the deal and I remember being, like I said, I was in juvenile hall.
- In fact, there's a word juvenology, the study of remaining youthful, juvenile, youthful.
Examples
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Another participant explained, "I'd been in juvenile detention and in runaway shelters most of the year."
Academic text (2008) -
He'll be turned over to the juvenile court... for drug abuse in school.
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We are in the juvenile justice system.
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Do you want to go to Juvenile Hall?
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No, it's a juvenile facility for young boys.
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It's a juvenile detention center.
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We talk to juvenile offenders, try to let them see the reality of prison.
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On any given day, one in 10 was either in jail or juvenile detention.
Academic text (2012) -
You should know that today, I talked to the head of the juvenile program at Serenity Manor, and you are being admitted.
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Moreover, young inmates, including juvenile offenders, enroll in programs at a higher rate than older inmates.
Academic text (2012)
Synonyms
Compounds
A young person under 18 who breaks the law, for example by stealing or damaging things
- Specialized
A long term illness in young people whose body cannot make insulin so they need injections
- Archaic
Long-term swelling and pain in the joints of children that can affect bone growth
- Specialized
A disease in children and young people where the body cannot control blood sugar and needs insulin
- Offensive
A rare childhood disease passed from parents that causes gradual blindness, loss of thinking ability, and early death
How Young
Surface Forms
Etymology
Juvenile comes from the Latin juvenis, which means 'young'. Think of rejuvenate ('make young again') — so juvenile often describes things made for children or young people.