WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
youth /yuθ/USA pronunciation
n., pl. youths
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- /for def. 5 yuθs, yuðz/USA pronunciation .
- [uncountable] the condition of being young;
the appearance, freshness, vigor, spirit, etc., that young people have. - [uncountable] the time of being young;
early life. - [uncountable] the period of life from puberty to adulthood;
adolescence. - young persons thought of as a group:[the + ~]the youth of today.
- [countable] a young person, esp. a young man.
youth
(yo̅o̅th),USA pronunciation n., pl. youths (yo̅o̅ths, yo̅o̅ᵺz),USA pronunciation (collectively) youth.
youth′less, adj.
- the condition of being young.
- the appearance, freshness, vigor, spirit, etc., characteristic of one who is young.
- the time of being young;
early life:His youth was spent on the farm. - the period of life from puberty to the attainment of full growth;
adolescence. - the first or early period of anything:The business, even in its youth, showed great potential.
- young persons collectively.
- a young person, esp. a young man or male adolescent.
- bef. 900; Middle English youthe, Old English geoguth; cognate with Dutch jeugd, German Jugend
- 3. minority, immaturity. 7. youngster, teenager, adolescent, stripling, lad, boy.
- 1. 3. maturity.