under-age

under-age

A young person is not allowed to buy under-age products.

Definition
  1. Adjective:
    • Not yet of legal age: "under-age" describes someone who is below the age specified by law for a particular activity, such as voting, drinking alcohol, or getting married.
    • Characteristic of someone below the legal age: Often used to describe actions or situations involving minors.
Usage Examples
  • Adjective:
    • The club was fined for allowing under-age patrons to enter. (Patrons who were below the legal age for entry.)
    • Under-age drinking is a serious offense in many countries. (The act of consuming alcohol while below the legal drinking age.)
    • She was considered under-age for the job, so she could not apply. (Below the minimum age required for employment.)
Advanced Usage
  • "under-age marriage": marriage involving at least one person below the legal age of consent.
    • Laws against under-age marriage aim to protect children's rights. (Marriage involving a minor.)
  • "under-age sex": sexual activity involving a person below the age of consent.
    • The law strictly prohibits under-age sex. (Sexual activity with a minor.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Underage (adj): a common alternative spelling, often used as a single word.
    • The bar was closed for serving underage customers. (Customers below the legal age.)
  • Under-ager (n, informal): a person who is under-age.
    • The security guard removed all under-agers from the venue. (People below the legal age.)
Synonyms
  • Minor: a person under the legal age of adulthood.
    • The store refused to sell cigarettes to minors. (Under-age individuals.)
  • Juvenile: relating to young people, often below the age of criminal responsibility.
    • Juvenile offenders are treated differently by the legal system. (Under-age lawbreakers.)
  • Underaged: an alternative adjective form with the same meaning.
    • He was underaged when he enlisted in the army. (Below the legal enlistment age.)
Related Idioms
  • Under-age but over-eager: a humorous phrase describing a young person who is enthusiastic about an activity they are not yet allowed to do.
    • She tried to join the adult class, under-age but over-eager. (Eager but too young.)