The Collaborative Dictionary

Young \Young\ (y[u^]ng), a. [Compar. Younger (y[u^][ng]"g[~e]r); superl. Youngest (-g[e^]st).] [OE. yung, yong, [yogh]ong, [yogh]ung, AS. geong; akin to OFries. iung, iong, D. joing, OS., OHG., & G. jung, Icel. ungr, Sw. & Dan. ung, Goth. juggs, Lith. jaunas, Russ. iunuii, L. juvencus, juvenis, Skr. juva[,c]a, juvan. [root]281. Cf. Junior, Juniper, Juvenile, Younker, Youth.] [1913 Webster]

Not long born; still in the first part of life; not yet arrived at adolescence, maturity, or age; not old; juvenile; -- said of animals; as, a young child; a young man; a young fawn. [1913 Webster] For he so young and tender was of age. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster] "Whom the gods love, die young," has been too long carelessly said; . . . whom the gods love, live young forever. --Mrs. H. H. Jackson. [1913 Webster]

Being in the first part, pr period, of growth; as, a young plant; a young tree. [1913 Webster] While the fears of the people were young. --De Foe. [1913 Webster]

Having little experience; inexperienced; unpracticed; ignorant; weak. [1913 Webster] Come, come, elder brother, you are too young in this. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Young \Young\, n. The offspring of animals, either a single animal or offspring collectively. [1913 Webster] [The egg] bursting with kindly rupture, forth disclosed Their callow young. --Milton. [1913 Webster] With young, with child; pregnant. [1913 Webster]

Word Net

young adj

1 (used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth; "young people" [syn: immature] [ant: old]

2 (of crops) harvested at an early stage of development; before complete maturity; "new potatoes"; "young corn" [syn: new]

1 any immature animal [syn: offspring]

2 United States film and television actress (1913-2000) [syn: Loretta Young]

3 United States civil rights leader (1921-1971) [syn: Whitney Young, Whitney Moore Young Jr.]

4 British physicist and Egyptologist; he revived the wave theory of light and proposed a three-component theory of color vision; he also played an important role in deciphering the hieroglyphics on the Rosetta Stone (1773-1829) [syn: Thomas Young]

5 United States jazz tenor saxophonist (1909-1959) [syn: Pres Young, Lester Willis Young]

6 English poet (1683-1765) [syn: Edward Young]

7 United States baseball player and famous pitcher (1867-1955) [syn: Cy Young, Danton True Young]

8 United States religious leader of the Mormon Church after the assassination of Joseph Smith; he led the Mormon exodus from Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah (1801-1877) [syn: Brigham Young]

9 young people collectively; "rock music appeals to the young"; "youth everywhere rises in revolt" [syn: youth] [ant: aged] [also: youngest, younger]

Moby Thesaurus

adolescent, babies, babyhood, babyish, boyhood, boyish, brood, callow, childish, childkind, childlike, children, clutch, crude, dewy, ever-new, evergreen, farrow, firsthand, fledgling, florescent, flowering, fresh, fry, get, girlhood, girlish, green, hatch, immature, inexperienced, infant, infantile, innocent, intact, issue, junior, juvenal, juvenescent, juvenile, kids, litter, little kids, little ones, maiden, maidenly, minor, naive, neoteric, nest, nestling, new, new generation, offspring, original, pristine, progeny, pubescent, puerile, raw, rising generation, sempervirent, small fry, sophomoric, spat, spawn, teenaged, tots, unbeaten, undeveloped, unfinished, unfledged, unformed, unhandled, uninitiated, unpracticed, unripe, unseasoned, unsophisticated, untouched, untried, untrodden, unused, unversed, vernal, virgin, virginal, young blood, young fry, young people, youngling, youth, youthful, youthlike, youthy

see Young

English

Etymology

ġeong

Pronunciation

• RP & US: , /jʌŋ/, /jVN/

Adjective

1. In the early part of growth or life; born not long ago.

   A lamb is a young sheep.

   These picture books are for young readers.

   The age of space travel is still young.

2. As if young; having the look or qualities of a young person.

   My grandmother is a very active woman and is quite young for her age.

3. Of or belonging to the early part of life.

   Our neighbor spent his younger years in England.

4. Having little experience; inexperienced; unpracticed; ignorant; weak.

Synonyms

• immature
• junior
• juvenile

Antonyms

• old

Derived terms

• with young
• youngish
• younglet
• younglike
• youngling
• youngness
• youngster
• youngly
• young at heart

Translations