junior

[ joon-yer ]
See synonyms for junior on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. younger (designating the younger of two men bearing the same full name, as a son named after his father; often written as Jr. or jr. following the name): May I speak with the junior Mr. Hansen?Mr. Edward Andrew Hansen, Jr.: Compare senior (def. 1).

  2. of more recent appointment or admission, as to an office or status; of lower rank or standing: a junior partner.

  1. (in American universities, colleges, and schools) noting or pertaining to the class or year next below that of the senior.

  2. Finance. subordinate to preferred creditors, mortgagees, and the like.

  3. of later date; subsequent to: His appointment is junior to mine by six months.

  4. composed of younger members: The junior division of the camp went on the hike.

  5. being smaller than the usual size: The hotel has special weekend rates on junior suites.

  6. (of an iron or steel shape) relatively small, but rolled to a standard form.

  7. of, for, or designating clothing in sizes 3–15 or those who wear it: a junior dress; junior measurements; the junior department.

noun
  1. a person who is younger than another.

  2. a person who is newer or of lower rank in an office, class, profession, etc.; subordinate.

  1. a student who is in the next to the final year of a course of study.

  2. Often juniors.

    • a range of odd-numbered sizes, chiefly from 3 to 15, for garments that fit women and girls with shorter waists, narrower shoulders, and smaller bustlines than those of average build.

    • the department or section of a store where garments in these sizes are sold.

  3. a garment in this size range.

  4. a woman or girl who wears garments in this size range.

  5. (initial capital letter) a member of the Girl Scouts from 9 through 11 years old.

  6. Informal.(often initial capital letter) a boy; youth; son: Ask junior to give you a hand with the packing.

Origin of junior

1
First recorded in 1520–30, junior is from the Latin word jūnior younger

Other words from junior

  • pre·jun·ior, adjective
  • sub·jun·ior, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use junior in a sentence

  • He held the respect and fear of his juniors without making any open breach with the teacher.

  • Felton retired from the service with the rank of lieutenant, disgusted and vindictive at having juniors promoted over his head.

  • Laura and Jess were near at hand, and in a moment a group of the Juniors who always trained together were in animated discussion.

  • Her sisters, a good many years her juniors, had to a certain extent assimilated modern ideas.

    Robin Redbreast | Mary Louisa Molesworth

British Dictionary definitions for junior (1 of 2)

junior

/ (ˈdʒuːnjə) /


adjective
  1. lower in rank or length of service; subordinate

  2. younger in years: junior citizens

  1. of or relating to youth or childhood: junior pastimes

  2. British of or relating to schoolchildren between the ages of 7 and 11 approximately

  3. US of, relating to, or designating the third year of a four-year course at college or high school

noun
  1. law (in England) any barrister below the rank of Queen's Counsel

  2. a junior person

  1. British a junior schoolchild

  2. US a junior student

Origin of junior

1
C17: from Latin: younger, from juvenis young

British Dictionary definitions for Junior (2 of 2)

Junior

/ (ˈdʒuːnjə) /


adjective
  1. being the younger: usually used after a name to distinguish the son from the father with the same first name or names: Charles Parker, Junior Abbreviation: Jnr, Jr, Jun, Junr

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012