Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word: JUVENILE

Correct — C. Juvenile means young, or behaving the way the young behave. In that second sense — juvenile jokes, juvenile behaviour — it matches Childish.

The root confirms it: Latin juvenis, 'young', the same root as rejuvenate, 'to make young again' → option (c).

Why the others are wrong

• (a)
  Adult — Adult names the stage that follows youth, so it points the opposite way. The two words are paired as opposites, as in juvenile and adult offenders.
• (b)
  Wise — Wise describes sound judgement, a quality tied to age and experience. It sits on the grown-up side, the far side from juvenile.
• (d)
  Mature — Mature means fully grown, or behaving like a grown-up. Juvenile behaviour is immature behaviour, so mature is its direct antonym.

Juvenile has two senses, and this item tests the second.

As a neutral word it means young: juvenile offenders, juvenile birds. Said of behaviour, it turns critical and means immature or childish.

Look at how the options divide. Adult, Wise and Mature all sit on the grown-up side. Childish stands alone on the young side, which is where juvenile belongs.

Key facts

• Juvenile means young, and of behaviour, childish or immature.
• It comes from Latin juvenis, 'young'.
• Rejuvenate, 'to make young again', is built on the same root.
• Adult and mature are antonyms of juvenile.

Common traps

• Rejecting Childish because it sounds insulting while juvenile sounds neutral
• Answering as if the instruction said antonym, since three of the four options sit on the grown-up side

No directly related past PYQ was found.