From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishyoungyoung1 /jʌŋ/ ●●● S1 W1 adjective (comparative younger, superlative youngest) 1 a young person, plant, or animal has not lived for very long a young child He’s younger than me. You’re too young to get married. young trees When I was young, I wanted to be a model. John was a great footballer in his younger days (=when he was younger).2 NEWa young country, organization, or type of science has existed for only a short time At that time, America was still a young nation. Psychology is a young science.3 → young lady/man4 YOUNGseeming or looking younger than you are SYN youthful Val is incredibly young for her age.5 → young at heart6 → 65/82/97 etc years young7 SSYdesigned or intended for young people I’m looking for something in a younger style.8 → young gun/Turk9 → somebody is not getting any youngerGRAMMAR: Order of adjectivesIf there is more than one adjective, the adjectives are usually used in a fixed order.You say: He’s a nice young man. ✗Don’t say: He’s a young nice man.You say: We met a young German couple. ✗Don’t say: We met a German young couple.THESAURUSyoung not olda young man of about 22My dad died when I was young.There are excellent facilities for young children.Young people are often unable to get jobs.small/little a small child is very young. Little sounds more informal than small, and is used especially in spoken EnglishThey have two small children.We used to go camping a lot when the kids were little.teenage [only before noun] between the ages of 13 and 19a group of teenage boysThey have three teenage children.adolescent especially written at the age when you change from being a child into an adult – used especially when talking about the problems that young people have at this ageSudden mood changes are common in adolescent girls. adolescent behaviourjuvenile /ˈdʒuːvənaɪl $ -nəl, -naɪl/ [only before noun] formal connected with young people who commit crimejuvenile crimea special prison for juvenile offendersjuvenile delinquents (=young people who commit crimes)youthful especially written seeming young, or typical of someone who is young – often used about someone who is no longer younga youthful 55-year-oldyouthful enthusiasmAndrew still has a slim youthful look about him.The photograph showed a youthful, smiling Rose.junior connected with sports played by young people rather than adultsthe junior championshipsthe junior championCOLLOCATIONS CHECKsmall/little child/girl/boyteenage girl/boy/daughter/mother/pregnancyjuvenile crime/offence/court/offender/delinquentyouthful enthusiasm/energy/face/look/appearance when you are youngchildhood the time when you are a child, especially a young childI had a wonderful childhood in the country.childhood illnessesgirlhood/boyhood the time when you are a young girl or boyThe two men had been friends in boyhood.the transition from girlhood to womanhoodyouth the time when you are young, especially between about 15 and 25 when you are no longer a childHe was a great sportsman in his youth.She revisited all the places where she had spent her youth.adolescence the time when you are changing from being a child into an adult – used especially when you are talking about the problems people have at this ageDuring adolescence, boys are often lacking in self-confidence.infancy formal the time when you are a babyIn the past, many more babies died in infancy.
Examples from the Corpus
young• As a country, Zimbabwe is still quite young.• Most banks are keen to loan money to promising young businesses.• Next time I saw Joe he looked maybe not 10 years younger but certainly a totally different man and ready to rock.• a single mother with two young children• "Impact" is a lively young company which specializes in public relations.• In 1900 she married Stephen Townesend, a young doctor with stage aspirations whom she had tried to help.• When I was younger, I used to play a lot of baseball.• The story began when a young man attended a party in Mournacre Hill, a suburb of Leicester.• Such seriousness, intensity, and power in a young man set him apart and left an impression on others.• The young man, sputtering now, rested his long head-which seemed to swell and turn a mahogany color-against the tree trunk.• He's a perfectly respectable young man.• The pressures on young people - especially students - to use drugs are increasing.• It is hard to discard traditional notions of what young people need to succeed in the economy.• At 35, he is the youngest person to hold this office.• There was a young pine tree in the back yard.• In just a week, you can have younger, smoother skin.• Her youngest son works for a television company.• Sometimes I forget you're younger than I am.• Most were hired annually, and the employment did give young women a measure of choice and relative economic independence.When I was young• A: Acting. When I was young, I loved martial arts.• It is by no means a universal facility. When I was young there was a tension between the Arts and Sciences.young for her age• She looks young for her age and she acts young.youngyoung2 noun [plural] 1 → the young2 HBAa group of young animals that belong to a particular mother or type of animal The lioness fought to protect her young.Examples from the Corpus
young• Low-ranking females will have young of whatever gender leaves the troop in order not to saddle the young with low rank.• The mother bird's main concern is to provide food for her young.• Status pays, because females at the top get more meat and have twice as many young as do others.• But at least the young have education on their side.• Kangaroos carry their young in a pouch.Origin young1 Old English geong 