underage
Elementary (A2)
IPA: /ˈʌndəreɪdʒ/
KK: /ˈʌndərˌeɪdʒ/
adjective
Definition
Referring to someone who is younger than the legal age for certain activities, such as drinking alcohol or voting.
Example
The club does not allow underage individuals to enter.
Conversation
Did you hear about that party downtown this weekend?
Yeah, but I can't go because I'm still underage.
That sucks! I guess they're strict about checking IDs.
Totally, but we can find something else fun to do instead.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
immature
youthful
juvenile
Antonyms
mature
adult
aged
noun
Definition
Not of legal age; a person who is younger than the minimum age required by law to engage in certain activities, such as drinking alcohol or voting.
Example
The club does not allow underage individuals to enter.
Conversation
I heard there's a party this weekend, but it's for underage drinkers only.
Really? That sounds interesting, but isn't that risky?
Yeah, but it could be fun to see how they handle it.
Root Explanation
Underage → It is formed from "under" (from Old English "under", meaning beneath or below) and "age" (from Latin "aetas", meaning age or period of life). The word "underage" refers to being below the legal age or the age of majority.
Memory Tip
Think of being 'beneath' ('under') a certain 'age' — that's why underage means not yet reaching that age.
Visually Confused Words
plunderage
undrag
unenraged
panderage
unmerge