/ ˌædəˈlesnt; NAmE / noun
a young person who is developing from a child into an adult :
adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18 and the problems they face
► ado·les·cent adjective :
adolescent boys / girls / experiences
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (as a noun): via French from Latin adolescent- coming to maturity, from adolescere , from ad- to + alescere grow, grow up, from alere nourish. The adjective dates from the late 18th cent.