young Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun any immature animal
    offspring.
  2. noun United States film and television actress (1913-2000)
    Loretta Young.
  3. noun United States civil rights leader (1921-1971)
    Whitney Moore Young Jr.; Whitney Young.
  4. noun British physicist and Egyptologist; he revived the wave theory of light and proposed a three-component theory of color vision; he also played an important role in deciphering the hieroglyphics on the Rosetta Stone (1773-1829)
    Thomas Young.
  5. noun United States jazz tenor saxophonist (1909-1959)
    Pres Young; Lester Willis Young.
  6. noun English poet (1683-1765)
    Edward Young.
  7. noun United States baseball player and famous pitcher (1867-1955)
    Cy Young; Danton True Young.
  8. noun United States religious leader of the Mormon Church after the assassination of Joseph Smith; he led the Mormon exodus from Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah (1801-1877)
    Brigham Young.
  9. noun young people collectively
    youth.
    • rock music appeals to the young
    • youth everywhere rises in revolt
  10. adjective (used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
    immature.
    • young people
  11. adjective satellite (of crops) harvested at an early stage of development; before complete maturity
    new.
    • new potatoes
    • young corn
  12. adjective satellite suggestive of youth; vigorous and fresh
    vernal; youthful.
    • he is young for his age
  13. adjective satellite being in its early stage
    • a young industry
    • the day is still young
  14. adjective satellite not tried or tested by experience
    untried; untested; unseasoned.
    • unseasoned artillery volunteers
    • still untested in battle
    • an illustrator untried in mural painting
    • a young hand at plowing

WordNet

Young adjective
Etymology
OE. yung, yong, ong, ung, AS. geong; akin to OFries. iung, iong, D. joing, OS., OHG., & G. jung, Icel. ungr, Sw. & Dan. ung, Goth. juggs, Lith. jaunas, Russ. iunuii, L. juvencus, juvenis, Skr. juvaa, juven. . Cf. Junior, Juniper, Juvenile, Younker, Youth.
Wordforms
comparative Younger ; superlative Youngest
Definitions
  1. Not long born; still in the first part of life; not yet arrived at adolescence, maturity, or age; not old; juvenile; -- said of animals; as, a young child; a young man; a young fawn.
    For he so young and tender was of age. Chaucer.
    "Whom the gods love, die young," has been too long carelessly said; . . . whom the gods love, live young forever. Mrs. H. H. Jackson.
  2. Being in the first part, pr period, of growth; as, a young plant; a young tree.
    While the fears of the people were young. De Foe.
  3. Having little experience; inexperienced; unpracticed; ignorant; weak.
    Come, come, elder brother, you are too young in this. Shak.
Young noun
Definitions
  1. The offspring of animals, either a single animal or offspring collectively.
    [The egg] bursting with kindly rupture, forth disclosed Their callow young. Milton.

Webster 1913