Youth Is Both a Period and a Person
Youth is the time of being young, and also a young person. English uses the same word for both.
Youth is the period between childhood and adulthood, and also a young person, usually male. The double use is unusual and slightly awkward: *the youth of today* means young people collectively, while *a youth* means one young man, and the singular has acquired a faintly disapproving tone in news reporting. *Youth* is formed from *young* with the same *-th* suffix that gives *length* and *strength*. The German cognate is *Jugend*.
- The state of being young. *In his youth.*
- A young person. *A youth of sixteen.*
- Young people. *The youth of today.*
- Youthful — the adjective. *Youthful.*
- Old English — *geoguth*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | youth | Youth. |
| Plural | youths | Youths. |
| Adjective | youthful | Youthful. |
| Base | young | Young. |
| German | Jugend | Youth. |
- He travelled widely in his youth.Period.
- A youth was seen leaving.Person.
- The youth of today.Collective.
Life stages in English
- Infancy — from Latin for unable to speak
- Childhood — the years before adolescence
- Youth — between childhood and adulthood
- Adolescence — from Latin for growing up
- Middle age and old age — the later divisions
Old English *geoguth*, from *geong*, young, with the abstract noun suffix that gives *length* and *strength*.
Why does a youth sound disapproving?
The singular has become common in news reports of trouble, which has coloured its tone. The plural and abstract senses are neutral.
Is youth formed like length?
Yes. Both use the same abstract noun suffix applied to an adjective, as do strength, depth and warmth.