What does teenage mean?
Teenage is an adjective meaning relating to people in the years between childhood and adulthood, usually from thirteen to nineteen. It can describe a person, as in “teenage student,” but also products, experiences, fashions, and issues associated with that period of life. The word is widely used in British and American English and can be formal or informal, although discussions of health, education, and law may specify more precise age categories. In everyday use, “teenage” often suggests the characteristic energy, experimentation, identity formation, and changing interests of adolescence, though it does not necessarily imply immaturity or irresponsibility. As a noun, the related word “teenager” refers to a person in these years, while “teenaged” can describe something performed, experienced, or characteristic of a teenager.
adjectiveRelating to or characteristic of people in their teenage years, especially those aged from thirteen to nineteen.
- Relating to or characteristic of people aged approximately thirteen to nineteen.
"Her teenage years were marked by a passion for adventure and a reluctance to settle into ordinary routines."
"The school has introduced a new program to support teenage students."
"Many of his teenage photographs were taken near the coast."
Teenage turns the “-teen” ending in numbers such as thirteen and seventeen into a compact label for the years between childhood and adulthood.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does teenage come from?
Teenage was formed in the nineteenth century from teen and the suffix -age. In this development, teen was connected with the -teen ending found in numbers such as thirteen through nineteen and with the abbreviation for a person in the teenage years. The modern words teenager and teenaged developed from the same basic combination, reflecting the language's tendency to turn an age description into a concise and productive adjective.
Related word forms
How teenage is actually used
Teenage is an adjective and is common in both formal and informal English. It is most often used for people, experiences, and concerns associated with the teenage years; in legal or educational contexts, the precise age range may vary.
Easily confused with teenage
Teen is usually a noun for a person in the teenage years, whereas teenage is normally an adjective describing such a person, period, or experience.