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juvénile

youthful

adjective zhoo-veh-NEEL Rare

Also means

juvenile

Usage Note

Juvénile describes qualities associated with youth — energy, freshness, or naivety. It is invariable in gender (un enthousiasme juvénile / une allure juvénile). In legal contexts it specifically means 'juvenile', as in délinquance juvénile ('juvenile delinquency'). It is a slightly more literary word than jeune for describing a youthful quality.

Examples

"Elle a gardé une énergie juvénile."

Natural Translation

She has kept a youthful energy.

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