junior

adjective

1. younger (designating the younger of two men bearing the same full name, as a son named after his father; often written as Jr. or jr. following the name): May I speak with the junior Mr. Hansen? Mr. Edward Andrew Hansen, Jr.Compare senior(def 1).
2. of more recent appointment or admission, as to an office or status; of lower rank or standing: a junior partner.
3. (in American universities, colleges, and schools) noting or pertaining to the class or year next below that of the senior.
4. Finance. subordinate to preferred creditors, mortgagees, and the like.
5. of later date; subsequent to: His appointment is junior to mine by six months.
6. composed of younger members: The junior division of the camp went on the hike.
7. being smaller than the usual size: The hotel has special weekend rates on junior suites.
8. (of an iron or steel shape) relatively small, but rolled to a standard form.
9. of, for, or designating clothing in sizes 3–15 or those who wear it: a junior dress; junior measurements; the junior department.

noun

10. a person who is younger than another.
11. a person who is newer or of lower rank in an office, class, profession, etc.; subordinate.
12. a student who is in the next to the final year of a course of study.
13. Often juniors.
    1. a range of odd-numbered sizes, chiefly from 3 to 15, for garments that fit women and girls with shorter waists, narrower shoulders, and smaller bustlines than those of average build.
    2. the department or section of a store where garments in these sizes are sold.
14. a garment in this size range.
15. a woman or girl who wears garments in this size range.
16. (initial capital letter) a member of the Girl Scouts from 9 through 11 years old.
17. Informal. (often initial capital letter) a boy; youth; son: Ask junior to give you a hand with the packing.

adjective

1. lower in rank or length of service; subordinate
2. younger in yearsjunior citizens
3. of or relating to youth or childhoodjunior pastimes
4. British of or relating to schoolchildren between the ages of 7 and 11 approximately
5. US of, relating to, or designating the third year of a four-year course at college or high school

noun

6. law (in England) any barrister below the rank of Queen’s Counsel
7. a junior person
8. British a junior schoolchild
9. US a junior student

adjective

1. being the younger: usually used after a name to distinguish the son from the father with the same first name or namesCharles Parker, Junior Abbreviation: Jnr, Jr, Jun, Junr

adj.

late 13c., from Latin iunior, comparative of iuvenis “young, young man” (see young). Used after a person’s name to mean “the younger of two” from late 13c. Abbreviation Jr. is attested from 1620s. Meaning “of lesser standing, more recent” is from 1766. That of “meant for younger people, of smaller size” is from 1860. Junior college first attested 1896; junior high school is from 1909. Junior miss “young teenage girl” is from 1907.

The junior high school is rapidly becoming the people’s high school. The percentage of pupils completing the ninth year is constantly rising where junior high schools have been established. [Anne Laura McGregor, “Supervised Study in English for Junior High School Grades,” New York, 1921]

n.

1520s, from junior (adj.).