Words / B1

JOON-ee-uh/ˈdʒuːniə/

Junior means lower in rank or younger: a junior doctor; a junior colleague; junior school. Senior is the opposite. Junior can be a noun (the juniors play on Saturday). Do not use junior as a rude way to say someone is inexperienced in a formal email — say early-career or give the real job title. In families, John Smith Junior is mainly US.

Meaning

Lower in rank or younger; also for children (junior school).

Examples

• “She started as a junior reporter on the local paper.”
• “A junior reporter covered the council meeting, not the editor.”
• “Junior doctors voted on industrial action, which is the NHS rank sense.”

Good to know

junior + job title; junior school. Opposite: senior. Noun: the juniors. Avoid as a casual insult in work email.

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