How do you pronounce adolescence?

The recorded pronunciation is /ˌædəˈlɛsəns/.

Where does adolescence come from?

It is traced to Middle English.

adolescence

/ˌædəˈlɛsəns/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.36 in modern English

Syllables: ado-les-cence
IPA: /ˌædəˈlɛsəns/

Scrabble Score

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Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The transitional period of physical and psychological development between childhood and maturity, beginning at the onset of puberty and with an endpoint defined either legally (at the age of majority, such as 18 in many jurisdictions) or psychocognitively (at various ages, depending on individual experience).

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"Near-synonyms: teenagehood, teenhood, teenagerhood, teenagedom, teenagerdom, teendom"
"During adolescence, the body and mind go through many complex changes, some of which are difficult to deal with."
"So lawyers started filing separate asylum requests for the children, arguing that reintegrating in countries they barely knew, after spending their childhood or adolescence in Belgium, would not only be impossible but would expose them to serious risks."

Etymology

From Middle English adolescence, from Old French adolescence, from Latin adolēscentia, from adolēscēns (“young”); see adolescent.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: adolescence, adolēscentia

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˌædəˈlɛsəns/
British English: /ˌædəˈlɛsəns/

Usage

Inflected Forms

adolescences (plural)

Derived Forms

middlescence postadolescence preadolescence

Frequently Paired Words

adolescent childhood preteenhood young adulthood adulthood middle age seniorhood elderhood

Synonyms

hog age teenagehood teenhood teenagerhood teenagedom teenagerdom teendom

Rhymes With

essence fluorescence obsolescence senescence luminescence acquiescence convalescence evanescence quintessence coalescence phosphorescence