senior

[seen-yer]

adjective

1. older or elder (designating the older of two men bearing the same name, as a father whose son is named after him, often written as Sr. or sr. following the name).

   I'd like to speak with the senior Mr. Hansen, please.

   I'm privileged to introduce Mr. Edward Andrew Hansen, Sr.

2. of earlier appointment or admission, as to an office, status, or rank.

   a senior partner.

3. of higher or the highest rank or standing.

4. (in American schools, colleges, and universities) of or relating to students in their final year or to their class.

5. (in certain American colleges and universities) of or relating to the final two years of education, during which a student specializes in a certain field of study.

6. of, for, or pertaining to a senior citizen or senior citizens as a group.

   senior discounts on local bus fares.

7. of earlier date; prior to.

   His appointment is senior to mine by a year.

8. Finance.,  having a claim on payments, assets, dividends, or the like prior to other creditors, mortgages, stockholders, etc.

noun

1. a person who is older than another.

2. a person of higher rank or standing than another, especially by virtue of longer service.

3. (in the U.S.) a student in the final year at a high school, preparatory school, college, or university.

4. a fellow holding senior rank in a college at an English university.

5. a senior citizen.

6. (initial capital letter),  a member of the Girl Scouts from 14 through 17 years of age.

senior

¹

/ ˈsiːnjə /

adjective

1. higher in rank or length of service

2. older in years

   senior citizens

3. of or relating to adulthood, maturity, or old age

   senior privileges

4. education

   1. of, relating to, or designating more advanced or older pupils

   2. of or relating to a secondary school

5. of, relating to, or designating students in the fourth and final year at college

noun

1. a senior person

2. an elderly person

3. 1. a senior pupil, student, etc

   2. a fellow of senior rank in an English university

Senior

²

/ ˈsiːnjə /

adjective

1. Abbreviation: Sr.  Sen. being the older: used to distinguish the father from the son with the same first name or names

   Charles Parker, Senior

Word History and Origins

Origin of senior¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin, equivalent to sen ( ex ) old, old man + -ior comparative adj. suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of senior¹

C14: from Latin: older, from senex old

Example Sentences

His appearance came days after he suddenly fired the new CDC director, Susan Monarez, provoking a group of senior staffers to resign in protest.

From BBC

Ojeh and Jones met during the late 1990s on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., when she was walking to class and he was a high school senior visiting campus.

From Los Angeles Times

She also has four caps with the senior national team, the first coming on Feb. 20.

From Los Angeles Times

So she found a place for me in Glendale, which advertised itself as “gracious senior living.”

From Los Angeles Times

In her 20s, she became a full-time union official and eventually, after battles over working conditions and zero-hour contracts, rose to the most senior elected role in Unison in north-west England.

From BBC

Related Words

• elder 
• pensioner 
• senior citizen