senior

[ seen-yer ]
See synonyms for: seniorseniors on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. older or elder (designating the older of two men bearing the same name, as a father whose son is named after him, often written as Sr. or sr. following the name): I'd like to speak with the senior Mr. Hansen, please.I'm privileged to introduce Mr. Edward Andrew Hansen, Sr.: Compare junior (def. 1).

  2. of earlier appointment or admission, as to an office, status, or rank: a senior partner.

  1. of higher or the highest rank or standing.

  2. (in American schools, colleges, and universities) of or relating to students in their final year or to their class.

  3. (in certain American colleges and universities) of or relating to the final two years of education, during which a student specializes in a certain field of study.

  4. of, for, or pertaining to a senior citizen or senior citizens as a group: senior discounts on local bus fares.

  5. of earlier date; prior to: His appointment is senior to mine by a year.

  6. Finance. having a claim on payments, assets, dividends, or the like prior to other creditors, mortgages, stockholders, etc.

noun
  1. a person who is older than another.

  2. a person of higher rank or standing than another, especially by virtue of longer service.

  1. (in the U.S.) a student in the final year at a high school, preparatory school, college, or university.

  2. a fellow holding senior rank in a college at an English university.

  3. (initial capital letter) a member of the Girl Scouts from 14 through 17 years of age.

Origin of senior

1
1350–1400; Middle English <Latin, equivalent to sen(ex) old, old man + -ior comparative adj. suffix

Words Nearby senior

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

How to use senior in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for senior (1 of 2)

senior

/ (ˈsiːnjə) /


adjective
  1. higher in rank or length of service

  2. older in years: senior citizens

  1. of or relating to adulthood, maturity, or old age: senior privileges

  2. education

    • of, relating to, or designating more advanced or older pupils

    • of or relating to a secondary school

  3. US of, relating to, or designating students in the fourth and final year at college

noun
  1. a senior person

  2. an elderly person

    • a senior pupil, student, etc

    • a fellow of senior rank in an English university

Origin of senior

1
C14: from Latin: older, from senex old

British Dictionary definitions for Senior (2 of 2)

Senior

/ (ˈsiːnjə) /


adjective
  1. mainly US being the older: used to distinguish the father from the son with the same first name or names: Charles Parker, Senior Abbreviation: Sr, Sen

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