child

¹

[chahyld]

noun

plural

children 

1. a person between birth and puberty or full growth.

   books for children.

2. a son or daughter; offspring considered with regard to parents.

   All my children are married.

3. a baby or infant.

   A child of six months can recognize family members.

4. a human fetus.

   My sister is seven months pregnant with a healthy child.

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.

Child

²

[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.

child

/ tʃaɪld /

noun

1. 1. a boy or girl between birth and puberty

   2. ( as modifier )

      child labour

2. a baby or infant

3. an unborn baby

4. another term for pregnant

5. a human offspring; a son or daughter

6. a childish or immature person

7. a member of a family or tribe; descendant

   a child of Israel

8. a person or thing regarded as the product of an influence or environment

   a child of nature

9. dialect,  a female infant

Other Word Forms

• childless adjective
• childlessness noun
• childly adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of child¹

First recorded before 950; Middle English; Old English cild; akin to Gothic kilthai “womb”

Word History and Origins

Origin of child¹

Old English cild; related to Gothic kilthei womb, Sanskrit jathara belly, jartu womb

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. with child, pregnant.

   She's with child.

More idioms and phrases containing child

• second childhood

Example Sentences

The fictional chef-patriarch of the house, Shelley Landwald, commands that each of his children prepares a signature dish for us, the guests, one that declares, “This is who I am. This is the future.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Last month, a similar pattern that pulled moisture north from Tropical Storm Mario triggered dangerous mudslides in the San Bernardino County mountains and flooding in the Inland Empire that killed one child.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

King, 51, had been reported missing by his wife and children days earlier, Lugo said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

She and others say most public schools don’t teach students to read, are dividing children over race and are secretly helping students to change genders — familiar claims that have been widely challenged by educators.

Read more on Salon

In February 2024, Ofcom reported that nine out of 10 children owned a mobile phone by the time they reached the age of 11.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• baby 
• boy 
• daughter 
• girl 
• juvenile 
• kid 
• minor 
• offspring 
• son 
• youngster 
• youth