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child

 - 12 dictionary results
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child

  [chahyld]
Use child in a Sentence
–noun, plural chil⋅dren.
1. a person between birth and full growth; a boy or girl: books for children.
2. a son or daughter: All my children are married.
3. a baby or infant.
4. a human fetus.
5. a childish person: He's such a child about money.
6. a descendant: a child of an ancient breed.
7. any person or thing regarded as the product or result of particular agencies, influences, etc.: Abstract art is a child of the 20th century.
8. a person regarded as conditioned or marked by a given circumstance, situation, etc.: a child of poverty; a child of famine.
9. British Dialect Archaic. a female infant.
10. Archaic. childe.
—Idiom
11. with child, pregnant: She's with child.
Origin:
bef. 950; ME; OE cild; akin to Goth kilthai womb

Related forms:
childless, adjective
child⋅less⋅ness, noun
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Child

  [chahyld]
–noun
1. Julia, 1912–2004, U.S. gourmet cook, author, and television personality.
2. Lydia Maria (Francis), 1802–80, U.S. author, abolitionist, and social reformer.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To child
child   (chīld)   
n.   pl. chil·dren (chĭl'drən)

    1. A person between birth and puberty.

    2. A person who has not attained maturity or the age of legal majority.

    3. An unborn infant; a fetus.

    4. An infant; a baby.

    5. An individual regarded as strongly affected by another or by a specified time, place, or circumstance: a child of nature; a child of the Sixties.

    6. A product or result of something specified: "Times Square is a child of the 20th century" (Richard F. Shepard).

    1. An unborn infant; a fetus.

    2. An infant; a baby.

    3. An individual regarded as strongly affected by another or by a specified time, place, or circumstance: a child of nature; a child of the Sixties.

    4. A product or result of something specified: "Times Square is a child of the 20th century" (Richard F. Shepard).

  3. One who is childish or immature.

  4. A son or daughter; an offspring.

  5. A member of a tribe; descendant: children of Abraham.

    1. An individual regarded as strongly affected by another or by a specified time, place, or circumstance: a child of nature; a child of the Sixties.

    2. A product or result of something specified: "Times Square is a child of the 20th century" (Richard F. Shepard).


[Middle English, from Old English cild.]
child'less adj., child'less·ness n.
Child   (chīld)   
American cookery expert known for her books and her instructional television and video series.
Child, Lydia Maria Francis 1802-1880.  
American abolitionist and writer of novels, children's books, and reform works, such as Appeal in Favor of That Class of Americans Called Africans (1833).
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

child 
O.E. cild "child," from P.Gmc. *kiltham (source of Gothic kilþei "womb"), unrelated to other languages. Also in O.E. meaning "a youth of gentle birth" (archaic, usually written childe). In 16c., especially "girl child." The difficulty with the plural began in O.E., where the nom. pl. was at first cild, identical with the sing., then c.975 pl. form cildru (gen. cildra) arose, only to be re-pluraled c.1175 as children, which is thus a double plural. M.E. plural cildre survives in Lancashire dialect childer and in Childermas (c.1000) "festival of the Holy Innocents" (Dec. 28). Childhood is O.E. cildhad; childish is O.E. cildisc; childlike (a good-sense variant) is first attested 1586.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: child
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural chil·dren
1 : a son or daughter of any age and usually including one formally adopted —compare ISSUE
NOTE: The word child as used in a statute or will is often held to include a stepchild, an illegitimate child, a person for whom one stands in loco parentis, or sometimes a more remote descendant, such as a grandchild. In interpreting the word child as used in a will, the court will try to effectuate the intent of the person who made the will as it can be determined from the language of the will.
2 : a person below an age specified by law : INFANT, MINOR child under 16 years of age> —compare ADULT
NOTE: A person who is below the statutory age but is married will usually be considered an adult.
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: child
Pronunciation: 'chI(&)ld
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural chil·dren /'chil-dr&n, -d&rn/
1 : an unborn or recently born person
2 : a young person especially between infancy and youth —with child : PREGNANT
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

child (chīld)
n.

  1. A person between birth and puberty.

  2. An unborn infant; a fetus.

  3. An infant; a baby.

  4. One who is childish or immature.

  5. A son or daughter; an offspring.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Computing Dictionary

child
daughter

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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Bible Dictionary

Child

This word has considerable latitude of meaning in Scripture. Thus Joseph is called a child at the time when he was probably about sixteen years of age (Gen. 37:3); and Benjamin is so called when he was above thirty years (44:20). Solomon called himself a little child when he came to the kingdom (1 Kings 3:7). The descendants of a man, however remote, are called his children; as, "the children of Edom," "the children of Moab," "the children of Israel." In the earliest times mothers did not wean their children till they were from thirty months to three years old; and the day on which they were weaned was kept as a festival day (Gen. 21:8; Ex. 2:7, 9; 1 Sam. 1:22-24; Matt. 21:16). At the age of five, children began to learn the arts and duties of life under the care of their fathers (Deut. 6:20-25; 11:19). To have a numerous family was regarded as a mark of divine favour (Gen. 11:30; 30:1; 1 Sam. 2:5; 2 Sam. 6:23; Ps. 127:3; 128:3). Figuratively the name is used for those who are ignorant or narrow-minded (Matt. 11:16; Luke 7:32; 1 Cor. 13:11). "When I was a child, I spake as a child." "Brethren, be not children in understanding" (1 Cor. 14:20). "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro" (Eph. 4:14). Children are also spoken of as representing simplicity and humility (Matt. 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17). Believers are "children of light" (Luke 16:8; 1 Thess. 5:5) and "children of obedience" (1 Pet. 1:14).

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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Idioms & Phrases

child

In addition to the idiom beginning with child, also see second childhood.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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