youthful
/ˈjuːθfʊl/
adjective
Origin
Old English
geogoth — youth
Overview
Meaning Now
- Having the appearance, freshness, or vigor characteristic of youth.
- Relating to or appropriate for young people.
Literal older meaning
full of youth
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
youthful
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The word is a direct formation from 'youth', combining the Old English root with the Germanic suffix '-full'. It entered common usage during the Middle English period to describe traits associated with the younger stage of life, moving beyond the physical definition to include aesthetic and temperamental descriptions.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*jugguthe-
“youth”
- Old English
geoguth
“youth, young age”
- Middle English
youthe
“youth”
Added suffix -ful
- Modern English
youthful
“having the qualities of youth”
Connections
Word parts
youth
root
the state of being young
ful
suffix
full of; characterized by
Related across languages
German
Jugend
youth
Dutch
jeugd
youth
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.