senior
UK: ˈsiːniə | US: ˈsiːniər
adj. higher in rank, status, or years of service
adj. older in age (often used postpositively, e.g., "John Smith Senior")
n. a person who is older or higher in rank
n. a student in the final year of high school or university
senior = sen<old> + ior<comparative suffix>
- sen (from Latin sen-, root of senex "old")
- ior (Latin comparative suffix, indicating "more" or "older")
Etymology Origin:
Derived from Latin senior ("older"), the comparative form of senex ("old"). The term originally denoted age superiority, later expanding to hierarchical rank (e.g., in workplaces or schools). The suffix -ior is a Latin marker for comparisons (like "prior" or "junior"), preserving the word’s structural logic across Romance and English adaptations.
She holds a senior position at the company.
The senior members of the team made the final decision.
My brother is a senior at Harvard University.
The event is open to seniors aged 65 and above.
John Doe Senior founded the family business in 1950.