51Թ

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View synonyms for

adult

[ uh-duhlt, ad-uhlt ]

noun

  1. a person who is fully grown or developed or of age.
  2. a full-grown animal or plant.
  3. a person who has attained the age of maturity as specified by law.


adjective

  1. having attained full size and strength; grown up; mature:

    an adult person, animal, or plant.

  2. of, relating to, or befitting adults.
  3. intended for adults; not suitable for children:

    adult entertainment.

verb (used without object)

  1. Informal. (of a young person) to do things and assume responsibilities that are associated with being an adult; act like an adult (usually used facetiously about minor accomplishments):

    I cook dinner for myself most nights—guess that means I'm adulting.

adult

/ ˈædʌlt; əˈdʌlt /

adjective

  1. having reached maturity; fully developed
  2. of or intended for mature people

    adult education

  3. regarded as suitable only for adults, because of being pornographic

    adult films and magazines

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a person who has attained maturity; a grownup
  2. a mature fully grown animal or plant
  3. law a person who has attained the age of legal majority (18 years for most purposes) Compare infant
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈܱٳǴǻ, noun
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Other 51Թ Forms

  • ·ܱ·Ǵǻ noun
  • ·ܱ· adjective
  • ·ܱ· adverb
  • ·ܱ·Ա noun
  • ԴDz··ܱ adjective noun
  • ܲ·-·ܱ adjective
  • ܲ··ܱ adjective noun
  • sub··ܱ·Ա noun
  • ܲ··ܱ adjective
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of adult1

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin adultus “grown” (past participle of DZŧ “to make grow”), equivalent to ad- ad- + ul- (identical with base al- in aliment ( def ) ) + -tus past participle suffix
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of adult1

C16: from Latin adultus, from DZŧ to grow up, from ŧ to grow, from ŧ to feed, nourish
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

He also confirmed another death - that of an adult - in Kentucky on Saturday.

From

Without their three adult children, their four-bedroom family home in Scotland was not as full as it once was.

From

The tragicomic hallucination that you see unfolding every day, wherein ostensible adults discuss secret war plans in hackable social media texts replete with emojis, exclamation points and lols, is what the American people freely chose.

From

"As an adult now my heart just breaks for him, because I've been there."

From

Stanley Zhong had a 4.42 grade point average, a nearly perfect SAT score, had bested adults in competitive coding competitions and started his own electronic signing service all while still in high school.

From

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More About Adult

What doesܱmean?

An adult is a person who is fully grown or developed. This could refer to a person’s body being done growing or their mind being fully developed. An adult child is someone’s child who is fully grown, as in Murray’s adult children are all married and have children of their own.

An adult is also a person who has reached an age that their society says allows them responsibilities and benefits not allowed to children. For example, in the United States someone who is 18 years old is in many cases considered an adult. Eighteen-year-olds can vote, sign a contract, join the military, and other actions children are not allowed to do.

An adult can also be a fully grown or matured plant or animal, as in Once my puppy becomes an adult, I’ll need to get them a bigger crate.

Adult can also be used to describe something related to adults or adulthood, such as adult responsibilities—like paying rent.

Adult can also be used to describe something not suitable for children. Things labeled as adult entertainment, for example, often include explicit sexual content.

Informally, adult can be used as a verb meaning to take on responsibilities usually reserved for adults, such as owning a house. It’s often used humorously to describe small responsibilities, as in Tanya really adulted today by putting away her laundry.

Where does ܱcome from?

The first records of the term adult come from around the 1520s. It comes from the Latin word adultus, meaning “grown.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms of adult?

  • adulthood (noun)
  • adultlike (adjective)
  • adultly (adverb)
  • adultness (noun)
  • adulting (adjective, verb)

What are some synonyms for adult?

What are some other forms related to adult?

What are some words that often get used in discussing adult?

How isܱused in real life?

Adult is a very common word used to refer to a fully developed person, animal, or plant. It’s also commonly used to describe something related to adults.

Try usingadult!

True or False?

An adult animal is an animal that is not yet fully developed.

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