the period in human development that occurs between the beginning of puberty and adulthood
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ad•o•les•cence /ˌædəlˈɛsəns/USA pronunciation
n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Developmental Biologythe period in human development between puberty and adulthood.See -alesc-.
ad•o•les•cence
(ad′l es′əns),USA pronunciation n.
- Developmental Biologythe transitional period between puberty and adulthood in human development, extending mainly over the teen years and terminating legally when the age of majority is reached;
youth. - Developmental Biologythe process or state of growing to maturity.
- a period or stage of development, as of a society, preceding maturity.
- Latin adolēscentia. See adolescent, -ence
- Middle French
- late Middle English 1400–50
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'adolescence' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Kleine-Levin syndrome
- acne
- adolescent
- awkward age
- education
- gigantism
- growing pains
- hebephrenia
- identity crisis
- juvenilia
- male
- middlescence
- personality disorder
- preadolescence
- puberty
- puppy fat
- subteen
- transition
- twice-born
- youth