Underage: meaning, definitions and examples

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underage

 

[ ˌʌn.dərˈeɪdʒ ]

Adjective / Noun
Context #1 | Adjective

legal term

Below the age at which a person is legally considered as an adult. For example, in many countries, the legal drinking age is 21, so anyone under 21 is considered underage.

Synonyms

juvenile, minor, young

Examples of usage

  • He was caught drinking alcohol underage.
  • She was not allowed to enter the club because she was underage.
  • Buying cigarettes is illegal for underage individuals.
Context #2 | Noun

general term

A person who is below the age at which they are legally considered as an adult. It can refer to anyone under a certain age limit.

Synonyms

child, minor, youth

Examples of usage

  • The party was for adults only, so there were no underages allowed.
  • They have special rules for underages at the event.

Translations

Translations of the word "underage" in other languages:

🇵🇹 menor de idade

🇮🇳 नाबालिग

🇩🇪 minderjährig

🇮🇩 di bawah umur

🇺🇦 неповнолітній

🇵🇱 niepełnoletni

🇯🇵 未成年 (みせいねん)

🇫🇷 mineur

🇪🇸 menor de edad

🇹🇷 reşit olmayan

🇰🇷 미성년자

🇸🇦 قاصر

🇨🇿 nezletilý

🇸🇰 neplnoletý

🇨🇳 未成年 (wèichéngnián)

🇸🇮 mladoleten

🇮🇸 undir lögaldri

🇰🇿 кәмелетке толмаған

🇬🇪 არასრულწლოვანი

🇦🇿 yetkinlik yaşına çatmayan

🇲🇽 menor de edad

Etymology

The word 'underage' originated in the early 20th century, combining 'under' and 'age' to form a term that indicates being below the legal age limit. It is commonly used in legal contexts to refer to individuals who are not yet legally adults. The concept of underage has evolved over time with changing laws and societal norms regarding the rights and responsibilities of young people.

See also: under, underbelly, underbody, underfed, underhanded, underling, underneath, underpants, underside, understand, underwear.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #27,580, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.