youth
gb/jˈuθ/ us/jˈuθ/
A2
English
~ 1700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
state
1
Time of life before adulthood
The time in a person's life when they are young, between being a child and an adult.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s youth
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'youth' with 'youths' when referring to the general period of being young. 'Youth' (uncountable) refers to the period; 'youths' (countable) refers to young people.
Synonyms
adolescence (More specifically refers to the teenage years and development stage.)
|
young adulthood (Refers to the later part of youth, near adulthood.)
Antonyms
old age (The stage of life after middle age.)
Collocations
in one's youth
|youth culture
|youth movement
|youth center
Themes
life stages
|society
|core_vocabulary
|education
Examples
- She spent most of her youth in the countryside.
- In his youth, he dreamed of becoming a pilot.
- Youth is often a time of exploration and self-discovery.
- Many people look back fondly on their youth.
- He left school early in his youth to start working.
Learner examples
- I met my best friend in my youth.
- My grandfather tells stories from his youth.
- In my youth, I played football every day.
Noun
A2
entity
2
Young people as a group
All young people as a group.
Usage pattern:
the youth of [a place]
Common mistake:
Learners may mistakenly use 'youths' for the collective sense; in formal writing, 'youth' is often uncountable for this meaning.
Synonyms
youngsters (Informal; often refers to children or teenagers.)
|
young people (Neutral and widely used alternative.)
Antonyms
elderly (Refers to older people, opposite age group.)
Collocations
the nation's youth
|youth unemployment
|youth program
Themes
society
|demographics
|core_vocabulary
|relationships
Examples
- The nation's youth are demanding political change.
- Youth today face different challenges than previous generations.
- Programs have been set up to help the local youth find jobs.
- The festival attracts youth from all over the country.
Learner examples
- The youth of this city need more sports fields.
- The program helps the youth find work.
- Many youth join clubs after school.
Noun
B1
entity
3
A young man or boy
A boy or young man.
Usage pattern:
a youth [verb phrase]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'youth' (singular) with 'youths' (plural) when referring to more than one young person.
Synonyms
lad (Informal British English term for a young man.)
Antonyms
man (An adult male.)
Collocations
a gang of youths
|a tall youth
|teenage youth
Themes
people
|core_vocabulary
|relationships
Examples
- A group of youths were playing football in the park.
- The police questioned a youth seen near the store.
- A tall youth helped her carry the bags.
Learner examples
- The police saw a youth near the shop.
- A youth was running in the street.
- Two youths were talking loudly.
Grammar
Dictionary form
youth
IPA
GB/jˈuθ/
US/jˈuθ/
Syllables & stress
youth (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (youth)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: youth
- Plural: youth, youths
Word family
Expressions
in one's youth
1/ˈɪn wˈʌnz jˈuθ/
fixed phrase
When someone was young
At the time when someone was young.
Examples
- In my youth, I traveled across Europe on a bicycle.
- He was a competitive swimmer in his youth.
youth culture
1/jˈuθ kˈʌlt͡ʃɚ/
fixed phrase
Culture of young people
The music, fashion, and activities popular with young people.
Examples
- Social media plays a big role in today's youth culture.
- The documentary explores the rise of skateboarding in youth culture.
youth hostel
1/jˈuθ hˈɑstəl/
fixed phrase
Cheap place for young travelers to stay
A cheap place where mainly young people can stay when traveling.
Examples
- We stayed at a youth hostel near the train station.
- We booked beds at a youth hostel just outside the city center.
- Youth hostels are popular with backpackers on a budget.
- The youth hostel organizes activities so guests can meet each other.