SENIOR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does senior mean? 

• SENIOR (noun)
  The noun SENIOR has 2 senses:

1. an undergraduate student during the year preceding graduation

2. a person who is older than you are

  Familiarity information: SENIOR used as a noun is rare.

• SENIOR (adjective)
  The adjective SENIOR has 3 senses:

1. older; higher in rank; longer in length of tenure or service

2. used of the fourth and final year in United States high school or college

3. advanced in years; ('aged' is pronounced as two syllables)

  Familiarity information: SENIOR used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SENIOR (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An undergraduate student during the year preceding graduation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("senior" is a kind of...):

undergrad; undergraduate (a university student who has not yet received a first degree)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A person who is older than you are

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

elder; senior

Hypernyms ("senior" is a kind of...):

adult; grownup (a fully developed person from maturity onward)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "senior"):

dean; doyen (a man who is the senior member of a group)

doyenne (a woman who is the senior member of a group)

• SENIOR (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Older; higher in rank; longer in length of tenure or service

Context example:

senior officer

Similar:

elder; older; sr. (used of the older of two persons of the same name especially used to distinguish a father from his son)

major (of the elder of two boys with the same family name)

precedential (having precedence (especially because of longer service))

higher-ranking; ranking; superior (having a higher rank)

Also:

old ((used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age)

Attribute:

higher rank; higher status; senior status; seniority (higher rank than that of others especially by reason of longer service)

Antonym:

junior (younger; lower in rank; shorter in length of tenure or service)

Derivation:

seniority (higher rank than that of others especially by reason of longer service)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Used of the fourth and final year in United States high school or college

Synonyms:

fourth-year; senior

Context example:

the senior prom

Similar:

last (coming after all others in time or space or degree or being the only one remaining)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Advanced in years; ('aged' is pronounced as two syllables)

Synonyms:

aged; elderly; older; senior

Context example:

senior citizen

Similar:

old ((used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age)

Derivation:

seniority (the property of being long-lived)

 Context examples 

Trevor senior was a widower, and my friend his only son.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Seniors who forget things more often than others their age may have mild cognitive impairment.

(Memory, NIH: National Institute on Aging)

Mr. Sidney Johnson, the senior clerk, met us at the office and received us with that respect which my companion’s card always commanded.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It is more common in infants, young children, seniors, and people with immune system problems.

(Histoplasmosis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

"Static electricity occurs from the interaction of one material that captures electrons and another that gives up electrons," Richard Kaner, senior author and professor.

(Nanogenerator Creates Electricity from Snowfall, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

These "senior moments" occur more frequently with age.

(Exercise May Help Seniors with Word, Memory Problems, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Many seniors live active and healthy lives.

(Healthy Aging, NIH: National Institute on Aging)

Being able to predict deficits long before they appear could open up new opportunities to design and test interventions that prevent Alzheimer's in people, said Yadong Huang, senior author of the study.

(Predicting Alzheimer's-like memory loss before it strikes, National Science Foundation)

Senior author Dr. Tae-Jin Song of Ewha Womans University in Seoul noted that the findings don’t prove causation, but the analysis is strong.

(Frequently brushing teeth may help prevent heart attacks, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

“Very few cancers can be treated by a single drug,” said Monje, a senior author of the study who treats children with DIPG and other diffuse midline gliomas.

(Scientists find promising drug combination against lethal childhood brain cancers, National Institutes of Health)