iuveniles

Iuveniles is a Latin term associated with youth or young people. In classical Latin, it functions primarily as an adjective meaning youthful, and it can also be used as a substantive to refer to young people as a group.

Etymology and form: the word derives from iuvenis, meaning a young man, and iuvenilis describes qualities of youth. As a Latin adjective, it agrees with the noun it modifies. The masculine and feminine plural nominative and accusative form is iuveniles, while the neuter plural is iuvenilia.

Usage in Latin literature: iuvenilis appears in inscriptions and prose to describe people or groups characterized by youthfulness. When used as a substantive, the term can mean “the young men” or “the youths,” depending on context. Its exact form and usage follow standard Latin agreement and declension patterns for adjectives of the iuenilis-type.

Modern usage and scope: in English-language scholarship, iuveniles is encountered mainly in discussions of Latin language, Roman social structures, or historical texts. It is not a common English word and is generally presented as a Latin term rather than a general linguistic synonym for juvenile in contemporary usage.

See also: iuvenis, iuvenilis, juvenile, Latin grammar terms related to adjectives and nouns describing age and youth.