Adolescence
/ˌæd.əˈlɛs.əns/noun
The period of development between childhood and adulthood.
Did you know?Adolescence comes from Latin adolescere, “to grow up,” while its related Latin root also produced words connected with nourishment, adulthood, and even the idea of being “old.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂el-
“To nourish, grow, or make grow”
Classical Latin
Latin
alēscere
“To grow or begin to grow”
Classical Latin
Latin
adolescere
“To grow up or mature; literally, to grow toward”
Classical Latin
Latin
adolescentia
“The period or condition of growing up”
Middle French
Old French
adolescence
“The stage of youth or growth toward maturity”
15th Century
English
adolescence
“The transitional period between childhood and adulthood”
Modern English
English
adolescence
“The developmental period between childhood and adulthood”