preteen

1 of 2

noun

pre·​teen ˈprē-ˈtēn How to pronounce preteen (audio)
-ˌtēn
: a boy or girl not yet 13 years old

preteen

2 of 2

adjective

1
: relating to or produced for children especially in the 9 to 12 year-old age group
preteen fashions
2
: being younger than 13

Examples of preteen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The data on preteens show a disproportionate increase in suicide rates for girls and youth of color. Cory Smith, Baltimore Sun, 11 Aug. 2024 Instead, restricted by standards that seem equally unlikely to please preteens, he was left holding a bomb. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Aug. 2024
Adjective
Suicide became the fifth-leading cause of death for preteen girls between 2008 and 2022, up from 11th in the previous period. Cory Smith, Baltimore Sun, 11 Aug. 2024 These were juggernauts of the preteen library that helped define a certain vision of girlhood in the ’90s and the aughts. Fiorella Valdesolo, Vogue, 31 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for preteen 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'preteen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1938, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of preteen was in 1929

Dictionary Entries Near preteen

Cite this Entry

“Preteen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preteen. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.

Kids Definition

preteen

1 of 2 noun
pre·​teen ˈprē-ˈtēn How to pronounce preteen (audio)
: a boy or girl not yet 13 years old

preteen

2 of 2 adjective
1
: relating to or produced for children especially in the 9 to 12 year-old age group
preteen fashions
2
: being younger than 13 years old

More from Merriam-Webster on preteen

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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