- chiefly US being the older: used to distinguish the father from the son with the same first name or names: Charles Parker, SeniorAbbreviation: Sr, Sen
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
Senior /ˈsiːnjə/ adj
sen•ior /ˈsinyɚ/USA pronunciation
adj.
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- older (a father whose son is named after him;
often abbreviated as Sr.):[after a noun]John Doe, Sr. - of earlier election or appointment:the senior senator from New York.
- of higher rank: [be + ~ + to]The captain was senior to him by only a few months.[before a noun]the senior officers present.
- of or relating to seniors in high school or college:[before a noun]her senior year.
- of or relating to senior citizens:[before a noun]a senior discount.
n. [countable]
- one who is older than another.
- a person of higher rank than another, esp. by virtue of longer service:The captain was his senior by several months.
- a student in the final year at a high school or college.
- a senior citizen:a special bus for seniors.
sen•ior
(sēn′yər),USA pronunciation adj.
n.
- older or elder (usually designating the older of two men bearing the same name, as a father whose son is named after him, often written as Sr. or sr. following the name):I would like to see the senior Mr. Hansen Mr. Edward Andrew Hansen, Sr.Cf. junior (def. 1).
- of earlier appointment or admission, as to an office, status, or rank:a senior partner.
- of higher or the highest rank or standing.
- Education(in American schools, colleges, and universities) of or pertaining to students in their final year or to their class.
- Education(in certain American colleges and universities) of or pertaining to the final two years of education, during which a student specializes in a certain field of study.
- of, for, or pertaining to a senior citizen or senior citizens as a group:senior discounts on local bus fares.
- of earlier date;
prior to:His appointment is senior to mine by a year. - Stock Exchange, Business[Finance.]having a claim on payments, assets, dividends, or the like prior to other creditors, mortgages, stockholders, etc.
n.
- a person who is older than another.
- a person of higher rank or standing than another, esp. by virtue of longer service.
- Education(in the U.S.) a student in the final year at a high school, preparatory school, college, or university.
- Education, British Termsa fellow holding senior rank in a college at an English university.
- a senior citizen.
- (cap.) a member of the Girl Scouts from 14 through 17 years of age.
- Latin, equivalent. to sen(ex) old, old man + -ior comparative adjective, adjectival suffix
- Middle English 1350–1400
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
senior /ˈsiːnjə/ adj
- higher in rank or length of service
- older in years: senior citizens
- of or relating to adulthood, maturity, or old age: senior privileges
- of, relating to, or designating more advanced or older pupils
- of or relating to a secondary school
- US of, relating to, or designating students in the fourth and final year at college
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'Senior' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
A
- admiral
- aga
- aide-de-camp
- air chief marshal
- air commodore
- air marshal
- air vice-marshal
- alderman
- archpriest
- attorney general
- bey
- brigadier
- cabinet
- captain
- censor
- Chief of Staff
- chief petty officer
- city technology college
- colonel
- commander
- commissioned officer
- commodore
- company sergeant major
- congregation
- consultant
- counsellor
- dean
- doyen
- elder
- ephor
- eurocrat
- Evangelist
- father
- flight lieutenant
- flying officer
- French Foreign Legion
- gaffer
- general
- golden parachute
- governor
- grenadier
- group captain
- high commissioner
- intendant
- intern
- junior common room
- junior technician
- kaumatua
- key-man assurance
