a. (sb.) [a. L. jūnior (for juvenior), compar. of juvenis young.]
1. The younger: used after a person’s name († or title) to denote the younger of two bearing the same name in a family, esp. a son of the same name as his father; also (after a simple surname) the younger of two boys of the same surname in a school. Abbreviated jun., junr. or jr.
[1409. Durham Acc. Roll, in Eng. Hist. Rev., XIV. 528. Þer manus Johannis Falderle Junioris.]
1623. in Cockeram.
1691. Lond. Gaz., No. 2669/4. Lost, a Note of Mr. Tho. Symonds junior’s Hand for Mr. Tho. Symonds senior,… for 50l.
1698. Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., Table 19. King of Bantam, Junior, espouses the Dutch Interest.
1708. Lond. Gaz., No. 4475/4. Tho. Crabb, Sen. and Tho. Crabb, Jun. of Malborrow … Wooll-men.
1838. Dickens, Nich. Nick., v. Snawley junior, if you don’t leave off … shaking with the cold, I’ll warm you with a severe thrashing.
1851. Illustr. Catal. Gt. Exhib., 259. The whole … are from the designs of James Rock, jun.
2. Of less standing or more recent appointment; of lower position, in a class, rank, profession, etc.
In American colleges and schools, Belonging to the third year of the course, next below the senior or last year, or to the first or second year of a three-year course, or the first of a two-year course.
1766. in B. Peirce, Hist. Harvard (1833), 246. That the Senior Sophisters shall attend the Tutor A on Mondays…. That the Junior Sophisters shall attend B on Mondays.
1810. Naval Chron., XXIV. 41. His Majesty’s ship Pompée (junior flag-ship).
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., iii. I. 309. The lord treasurer … had eight thousand a year, and … the junior lords had sixteen hundred a year each.
1870. Miss Bridgman, R. Lynne, I. ii. 12. From junior clerk, he worked his way up.
1871. M. Collins, Mrq. & Merch., I. ii. 56. The chief of the firm went on what is called the ‘junior partner’ principle. His clerks became in time his partners.
† 3. Belonging to youth or earlier life; youthful, juvenile. Obs.
1606. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. iv. I. Trophies, 485. So shall his owne Ambitious Courage bring For Crown a Coffin to our Iunior King.
1643. Sir T. Browne, Relig. Med., II. § 8. Our first studies and junior endeavours may style us Peripateticks, Stoicks, or Academicks.
1706. [E. Ward], Wooden World Dissected (1708), 37. One that in his Junior Days was brought up in the Fear of the Lord.
4. Of later rise or appearance in history, of later date; more modern. Now rarely said of persons.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., II. iv. II. ii. [Hellebor] is still oppugned … by Crato and some junior physitians.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., Pref. 34. There is yet a Fourth Atheistick Form taken notice of … though perhaps Junior to the rest, it seeming to be but the Corruption and Degeneration of Stoicism.
1699. Bentley, Phal., 85. Archestratus the Syracusian was junior to Plato.
Mod. The Cretan civilization was apparently junior to that of the Nile valley.
B. sb. (the adj. used absol.) A person who is younger than another, or of more recent entrance or lower standing in a class, profession, etc.: see A.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 206. Of bysshops, doctours of the lawe & lerned men, of senyours and iunyours, of iewes and gentyles.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., I. i. § 37. 45. Our Continual Creation of new Souls, by means whereof they become Juniours both to the matter of the World and of their own Bodies.
1722. Lond. Gaz., No. 6102/4. The Juniors went first.
1797. Mrs. Radcliffe, Italian, xx. He was pointed out by the fathers of the convent to the juniors as a great example.
1820. Byron, Mar. Fal., I. ii. 34. At least in some, the juniors of the number.
1888. Bryce, Amer. Commw., III. VI. cii. 453. In an American college the students are classed by years, those of the first year being called freshmen, of the second year sophomores, of the third year juniors.
1548. Udall, Erasm. Par. Luke xiv. 7. Doctours in any vniuersitie … Not one of them but he thynketh hymself to haue had a great iniurie doen vnto hym yf he go on the left hand of an other that semeth to be his iuniour or inferiour.
1676. Prideaux, Lett. (Camden), 55. Christ Church is now altogether becom a stranger to you, we beeing al almost your juniors.
1699. Bentley, Phal., 413. Persons of Age and Authority spoke kindly to their Juniors.
1797. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), IV. 155. I am his junior in life, I was his junior in Congress, his junior in the diplomatic line, and lately his junior in our civil government.
1818. Byron, Mazeppa, iv. His wife was not of his opinion; His junior she by thirty years.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., xxxiv. Mr. Serjeant Buzfuz … leads on the other side. That gentleman behind him is Mr. Skimpin, his junior.
c. Comb., as junior-right, Borough-English.
1882. C. Elton, Orig. Eng. Hist., viii. 185. Junior-right … has flourished not only in England … but also in some remote and disconnected regions. Ibid. [see JUNIORITY b].
