senior
UK[ˈsiːniə(r)]US[ˈsiːnjər]
adj
having a higher rank, status, or position because of being older or having worked somewhere longer
adj
used after the name of a man who has the same name as his son, to show that he is the older one
n
a student in the last year of high school or university
n
an older person, especially one who is retired
Morpheme Breakdown
sen
ior
sen
old
ior
comparative suffix
Etymology
The word 'senior' originates directly from the Latin comparative adjective 'senior', which means 'older'. This Latin term is derived from the base 'senex', meaning 'old, aged', which itself can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root sen- (old). The comparative suffix '-ior' was used to form adjectives of comparison, literally translating to 'more old' or 'older'. Over time, the meaning evolved from a simple descriptor of age to denote higher rank or status, a natural societal association where greater age was traditionally linked to greater authority and experience.
Analysis
Structure: sen (old) + ior (comparative suffix)
'sen' is from Latin 'senex' meaning 'old, an old man'. 'ior' is a Latin comparative suffix, equivalent to English '-er'.
Examples
She is the senior partner in the law firm.
Martin Luther King, Senior, was also a prominent pastor.
He will be a senior at Stanford University next fall.