What does tween mean?
Tween most often denotes a child in the stage between childhood and adolescence, especially in the preteen years. The term is widely used in clothing, entertainment, and family contexts to describe young people who are becoming interested in adolescent culture while still being regarded as children. It can also function as an adjective, as in “tween fashion.” In animation and digital media, a tween is an intermediate image or frame, while tweening refers to the smooth transition of an object between two positions or states. The word's unusual construction reflects its meaning: it was formed by combining “between” and “teen.” Although its age-category use is now informal and familiar, tween remains useful because it identifies a recognizable developmental and cultural stage rather than relying only on a precise age range.
A child or young person between childhood and adolescence, especially a preteen.
"The summer program welcomes tweens interested in sports, art, and science."
Informal; especially common in North American usage.
An intermediate drawing or frame created between key frames in animation.
"The animator corrected the tween so the character's hand moved smoothly across the page."
To create or use an intermediate image or to move smoothly from one image, position, or state to another.
"The program tweens the logo from a small icon into a full-screen title."
Of or relating to a child between childhood and adolescence.
"The department store has expanded its tween clothing section for the new season."
The regular plural is used for children in the preteen age group and for intermediate animation frames or images.
"The program provides activities for tweens during the school holiday."
Tween literally bridges two words: it combines “between” with “teen” to name the age just before the teens.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tween come from?
Tween is an English blend of “between” and “teen,” formed in the early 20th century to describe a child in an intermediate age group. Its use for a young person became especially widespread in the 1980s. The technical senses concerning intermediate animation drawings and smooth transitions extend the same metaphor of something occupying a position between stages.
Related word forms
How tween is actually used
In its age-related sense, tween is informal and commonly used in retail, media, and conversation. It may sound dated or overly categorical when applied to adults, while the animation and digital-media senses are technical terms. Tweener is a related but distinct form meaning someone or something between categories.
Easily confused with tween
A teen is typically someone aged 13 to 19, whereas a tween is usually a younger child in the years before adolescence.
A tweener is a person or thing positioned between two categories, while tween most commonly names a child between childhood and adolescence.