adult

[ uh-duhlt, ad-uhlt ]
See synonyms for: adultadultsadulthoodadultness on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a person who is fully grown or developed or of age.

  2. a full-grown animal or plant.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

Origin of adult

1
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin adultus “grown” (past participle of adolēre “to make grow”), equivalent to ad- ad- + ul- (identical with base al- in aliment) + -tus past participle suffix

Other words from adult

  • a·dult·hood, noun
  • a·dult·like, adjective
  • a·dult·ly, adverb
  • a·dult·ness, noun
  • non·a·dult, adjective, noun
  • qua·si-a·dult, adjective
  • sub·a·dult, adjective, noun
  • sub·a·dult·ness, noun
  • un·a·dult, adjective

Words Nearby adult

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use adult in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for adult

adult

/ (ˈædʌlt, əˈdʌlt) /


adjective
  1. having reached maturity; fully developed

  2. of or intended for mature people: adult education

  1. regarded as suitable only for adults, because of being pornographic: adult films and magazines

noun
  1. a person who has attained maturity; a grownup

  2. a mature fully grown animal or plant

  1. law a person who has attained the age of legal majority (18 years for most purposes): Compare infant

Origin of adult

1
C16: from Latin adultus, from adolēscere to grow up, from alēscere to grow, from alēre to feed, nourish

Derived forms of adult

  • adulthood, noun

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