teen
B1Informal
Definition
Meaning
A person aged 13 through 19 years old.
Relating to adolescence; also used as a suffix in numbers from thirteen to nineteen, indicating plus ten.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used as a countable noun referring to a person. Can be used attributively as an adjective (e.g., teen fashion). The plural 'teens' can refer to the years of one's life between 13 and 19 ("in my teens").
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. The adjective 'teenaged' is slightly more common in American English than 'teenage'.
Connotations
Often carries connotations of youth culture, rebellion, experimentation, and transitional life stage in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more common in informal spoken registers than in formal writing, where 'adolescent' or 'young person' might be preferred.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Det] + teen + [VP][Adj] + teenteen + of + [NP]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “in one's teens”
- “barely out of one's teens”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Used in marketing demographics (e.g., 'targeting teens').
Academic
Used in sociology, psychology, and education contexts, often alongside 'adolescent'.
Everyday
Very common in informal conversation and media to refer to young people.
Technical
Not typically used in highly technical contexts outside of social sciences.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- She still has a very teen outlook on life.
- The film is a teen comedy.
American English
- That's such a teen thing to say.
- The store specializes in teen fashion.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My sister is a teen.
- He has two teen daughters.
- Many teens enjoy spending time online.
- She works as a counsellor for troubled teens.
- The programme aims to tackle the issue of teen obesity.
- His music particularly resonates with the teen demographic.
- The novel brilliantly captures the angst and idealism of the teen years.
- Legislation was introduced to curb teen smoking rates.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the numbers thir-TEEN through nine-TEEN - that's the age range.
Conceptual Metaphor
TEEN YEARS ARE A JOURNEY / A STORMY SEA (e.g., 'navigating the teen years', 'stormy teens').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating directly as 'тинейджер' in all contexts, as 'teen' is less formal. Do not confuse with 'подросток' which has a broader age range.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'teen' as an uncountable noun (*'much teen').
- Confusing 'teen' (person) with '-teen' (suffix in numbers).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a typical use of 'teen'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, 'teen' is informal. In formal writing, 'adolescent', 'young person', or 'teenager' is preferred.
'Teen' is informal and specific to ages 13-19. 'Teenager' is slightly more formal but common. 'Adolescent' is more formal, clinical, and can refer to a broader developmental stage (roughly 10-19).
Yes, attributively (before a noun), e.g., 'teen rebellion', 'teen magazine'. It is less common as a predicative adjective ('She is teen').
No. 'Teens' can also refer to the years 13-19 of a person's life ("She travelled widely in her teens") or the numbers 13-19 ("The temperature was in the teens").