Maknae meaning in K-pop
막내 · say “MAHK-nay”
Maknae means the youngest member of a group. It is the Korean word for the youngest child in a family.
What does Maknae mean?
In K-pop, every group has a maknae, and fans often call that member by the word itself. The maknae is decided by birth date, not by when someone joined the group.
You will also hear "golden maknae" for a youngest member who seems good at everything, and "maknae line" for the youngest few members of a group.
Example
"Who is the maknae of IVE?" — fans asking for the youngest member.