Meanings
comparative more preadolescent · superlative most preadolescent
- Of or relating to preadolescence.
plural preadolescents
- A child who has not yet reached puberty.
1 more example
Urvashi wrinkled her nose. "We've gone from training and assiting the saviors of mankind to playing nursemaid? No thank you." Aru blushed. "We're not kids." "Um, Aru..." said Mini, "we kinda are." "We're preadolescents." "That's the same thing, just a different word." "Yeah, but it sounds better," muttered Aru.
2018, Roshani Chokshi, Aru Shah and the End of Time, page 53Synonyms: preteen
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA child who has not yet reached puberty.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectiveof or relating to or designed for children between the ages of 9 and 12
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*per-
- Proto-Indo-European*preh₂-
- Proto-Indo-European*préh₂i?
- Proto-Italic*prai
- Proto-Italic*prai-
- Latinprae-
- Middle Englishpre-
- Englishpre-
- Englishadolescent
- Englishpreadolescent
From pre- + adolescent.
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with preadolescent
Cite this entry
preadolescent. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/preadolescent
“preadolescent.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/preadolescent. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “preadolescent,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/preadolescent.
Source: preadolescent on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.