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adulthood - 3 dictionary results

a⋅dult

  [uh-duhlt, ad-uhlt]
Use adulthood in a Sentence
–adjective
1. having attained full size and strength; grown up; mature: an adult person, animal, or plant.
2. of, pertaining to, or befitting adults.
3. intended for adults; not suitable for children: adult entertainment.
–noun
4. a person who is fully grown or developed or of age.
5. a full-grown animal or plant.
6. a person who has attained the age of maturity as specified by law.
Origin:
1525–35; 1925–30 for def. 3; < L adultus grown (ptp. of adolēre to make grow), equiv. to ad- ad- + ul- (identical with base al- in aliment, ol- in prolific ) + -tus ptp. suffix

Related forms:
a⋅dult⋅hood, noun
a⋅dult⋅like, adjective
a⋅dult⋅ly, adverb
a⋅dult⋅ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To adulthood
a·dult   (ə-dŭlt', ād'ŭlt)   
n.  
  1. One who has attained maturity or legal age.
  2. Biology A fully grown, mature organism.
adj.  
  1. Fully developed and mature.
  2. Relating to, intended for, or befitting adults: adult education.
  3. Containing or dealing in explicitly sexual material; pornographic: adult movies; adult bookstores.

[From Latin adultus, past participle of adolēscere, to grow up; see adolescent.]
a·dult'hood' n., a·dult'ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Main Entry: adult·hood
Pronunciation: &-'d<-"hud
Function: noun
: the state or time of being an adult
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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