ad ‧ o ‧ les ‧ cence /ˌædəˈles ə ns/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
the time, usually between the ages of 12 and 18, when a young person is developing into an adult
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THESAURUS
■ when you are young
▪ childhood the time when you are a child, especially a young child:
I had a wonderful childhood in the country.
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childhood illnesses
▪ girlhood/boyhood the time when you are a young girl or boy:
The two men had been friends in boyhood.
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the transition from girlhood to womanhood
▪ youth the time when you are young, especially between about 15 and 25 when you are no longer a child:
He was a great sportsman in his youth.
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She revisited all the places where she had spent her youth.
▪ adolescence the time when you are changing from being a child into an adult – used especially when you are talking about the problems people have at this age:
During adolescence, boys are often lacking in self-confidence.
▪ infancy formal the time when you are a baby:
In the past, many more babies died in infancy.