adult

Study(15)

/ˈæd.ʌlt/

adj 5noun 2verb 2

Collocations

(noun.)

ADJ

young

Many young adults move to cities to find better job opportunities.

single

Many single adults choose to live in city apartments for convenience and social opportunities.

consenting

Two consenting adults agreed to share the apartment and split all the household expenses equally.

responsible

Most responsible adults try to save money for their children's future education.

ADULT + NOUN

life

He has worked as a teacher for most of his adult life.

education, literacy | population

Definitions

noun

An animal that is full-grown.

The young not only differs from the adult by the presence of its gills, but its feet are only developed by degrees, and in several genera there are also a deciduous beak and tail, and intestines of a different form

A person who has reached the legal age of majority.

adj

Fully grown.

an adult human, animal, or plant

The paws of the adult brown bear, and also their hams, especially when smoked, are considered a great delicacy.

Intended for or restricted to adults rather than children due to size, maturity, knowledge level, judgement, etc.

adult clothes; adult cereal; an adult documentary

In May 1967 the WGBH Education Division submitted an initial proposal to HUD for a series of four adult television documentaries on conservation in an urban environment.

Intended for or restricted to adults rather than children due to size, maturity, knowledge level, judgement, etc.

adult situations; adult discussions

Intended for or restricted to adults rather than children due to size, maturity, knowledge level, judgement, etc.

an adult drink; an adult root beer float

Intended for or restricted to adults rather than children due to size, maturity, knowledge level, judgement, etc.

an adult cookie; adult gummy worms

verb

To behave like an adult.

Adulting is hard!

To (cause to) be or become an adult.

Womanhood was achieved at twenty-one, when the female was "adulted"; manhood was fully achieved at twenty-five, […]

The process of adulting children[…] overlaps with the process of the uncontrolled infiltration of the media[…] into children’s imagination.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

noun — a fully developed person from maturity onward

grownup

adjective — (of animals) fully developed

adjective — designed to arouse lust

pornographic

Antonyms

juvenile

Idioms & Phrases

consenting adult

A person over the age of consent who willingly has sex.

You know we're both consenting adults and what we do in our leisure time has nothing to do with him?

once an adult, twice a child

One is born as a child, grows to adulthood, and consequently enters old age, when one deteriorates and reverts to a childlike state.

Two couples whose combined ages total 300 years were playing cards today and the nerve strain caused by the game was too much for the tired heart and nerves of one and she grew ang

once an adult and twice a child

Alternative form of once an adult, twice a child.

Mrs. Collins was nearly ninety years old. Her life fittingly illustrates the old proverb “Once an adult and twice a child.” For a number of years she had been indisposed in mind as

Example Bank

The young not only differs from the adult by the presence of its gills, but its feet are only developed by degrees, and in several genera there are also a deciduous beak and tail, and intestines of a

Wiktionary

an adult human, animal, or plant

Wiktionary

The paws of the adult brown bear, and also their hams, especially when smoked, are considered a great delicacy.

Wiktionary

adult clothes; adult cereal; an adult documentary

Wiktionary

Adulting is hard!

Wiktionary

Womanhood was achieved at twenty-one, when the female was "adulted"; manhood was fully achieved at twenty-five, […]

Wiktionary

Usage Notes

i Register

In some senses, adult is marked as slang, rare. Watch for register when choosing this word.

Your note

not saved

0 chars