youngerlyadj.
/ˈjʌnɡəli/, U.S. /ˈjənɡərli/ Originally North American (now somewhat rare).
Somewhat young; younger. Frequently opposed to elderly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > source or principle of life > age > youth > [adjective] > young (of beings)
littleeOE
youngOE
younglyOE
younglinga1250
little waxena1325
greena1398
imperfecta1398
primec1429
unold?1440
juvync1450
novelc1450
unaged1486
in youth's flowers?1507
unbearded1560
unweaned1581
whelpish1586
ungrown1593
under-age1594
unhatched1601
infantine1603
springalda1614
unbakeda1616
unlickeda1616
juvenile1625
lile1633
juvenal1638
bloomy1651
youngish1667
blooming1676
puerilea1680
youngerly1742
steerish1789
chota1814
white-shoe1960
1742 D. Boardman Let. 16 Nov. in C. Chauncy Seasonable Thoughts State of Relig. in New-Eng. (1743) i. 203 There were among them two or three of thirty Years, or more; tho' they were mainly of the more youngerly Sort.
1792 Amer. Apollo 6 Jan. 257 An elder matron amidst a group of youngerly females.
1870 O. S. Fowler Sexual Sci. iii. i. 420 A youngerly lady had, by far, better marry an elderly man.
1951 O. Nash (title) Parents keep out: elderly poems for youngerly readers.
2003 Irish Times (Nexis) 22 Oct. 21 I do not regard myself as an elderly person, indeed, I feel just the same (inside) as when I was youngerly.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2015; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.1742