/ ˈsiːniə(r); NAmE / adjective , noun
■ adjective
OF HIGH RANK
1.
senior (to sb) high in rank or status; higher in rank or status than others :
a senior officer / manager / lecturer, etc.
a senior partner in a law firm
a senior post / position
I have ten years' experience at senior management level.
( BrE )
Junior nurses usually work alongside more senior nurses.
He is senior to me.
The meeting should be chaired by the most senior person present.
OPP junior
IN SPORT
2.
[ only before noun ] for adults or people at a more advanced level :
to take part in senior competitions
He won the senior men's 400 metres.
FATHER
3.
Senior ( abbr. Snr. , Sr ) used after the name of a man who has the same name as his son, to avoid confusion
—compare junior
SCHOOL / COLLEGE
4.
[ only before noun ] ( BrE ) ( of a school or part of a school ) for children over the age of 11 or 13
5.
[ only before noun ] ( NAmE ) connected with the last year in high school or college :
the senior prom
■ noun
OLDER PERSON
1.
a person who is older than sb else :
She was ten years his senior.
My brother is my senior by two years.
—compare junior
2.
( especially NAmE ) = senior citizen
HIGHER RANK
3.
a person who is higher in rank or status :
She felt unappreciated both by her colleagues and her seniors.
IN SPORT
4.
adults or people who have reached an advanced level :
tennis coaching for juniors and seniors
IN SCHOOL / COLLEGE
5.
( BrE ) a child at a senior school; an older child in a school
6.
(in the US and some other countries) a student in the last year at a high school or college :
high school seniors
—compare sophomore
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Latin , literally older, older man , comparative of senex , sen- old man, old.