senior
senior Lexical Profile
senior Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Higher in rank, status, authority, or length of service within an organization or profession.
"The decision requires approval from a senior manager before the budget can be finalized."
Of a more advanced age; older (often used after a father's name to distinguish him from a son with the same name).
"George Bush Senior served as the forty-first president before his son was elected to the same office."
North American Relating to the final year of study at a four-year high school, college, or university.
"During her senior year, she wrote an honors thesis on nineteenth-century literature."
Relating to or intended for older adults, especially those who have retired.
"The community center offers discounted fitness classes and social events for senior residents."
• noun
An older adult, especially one over the age of sixty or sixty-five who is retired from full-time employment.
"Public transit is free for seniors during off-peak weekday hours."
North American A student in the final year of study at a high school, college, or university.
"High school seniors spend the autumn months submitting college applications."
A person who is older than another by a specified number of years, or who holds a higher rank or longer tenure.
"Her husband was ten years her senior, yet they shared all the same interests."
Word Nuance & Usage
When comparing age or rank directly without a following noun, 'senior' takes the preposition 'to' rather than 'than' (e.g., 'She is senior to me in the department').
• Rhymes for senior
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 13th century from Anglo-French and directly from Latin senior ('older'), the comparative form of senex ('old'), ultimately derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *sen- ('old').