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Today it means

junior

younger; lower in rank

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Where does the word "junior" come from? It comes from Latin junior, and was adopted directly into English (1520s).

Read the full story

Where does the word "junior" come from? It comes from Latin junior, and was adopted directly into English (1520s).

Junior’s story begins in Latin: junior meant “younger.” Comparative of 'juvenis', young. It reached English by 1520s as junior. 'Junior' as a son's title dates from the 1600s. Today, junior means younger; lower in rank.

  1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient junior "younger", comparative of 'juvenis', young.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1520s junior "younger", 'Junior' as a son's title dates from the 1600s.

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