age of consent

American  

noun

1. the age at which a person becomes legally competent to consent to marriage or sexual intercourse.

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age of consent British  

noun

1. the age at which a person is considered legally competent to consent to sexual intercourse

2. the age at which a person can enter into a legally binding contract

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Etymology

Origin of age of consent

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

This was the year Japan passed landmark laws to redefine rape from "forcible sexual intercourse" to "non-consensual sexual intercourse" and raised the age of consent from 13 to 16.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2025

Norman Woods of South Dakota Family Voice Action said it doesn’t make sense to raise the age for marriage if the age of consent in South Dakota remains at 16.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 30, 2024

For gay and bisexual men, the age of consent was reduced from 18 to 16 in a law change in 2000, after a long campaign for equality.

From BBC • Sep. 23, 2023

Washington’s age of consent for gender-affirming surgery without approval from a parent or guardian is 18.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 21, 2023

Florida makes a distinction between "age of consent" and "age of protection."

From The History of Woman Suffrage, Volume IV by Harper, Ida Husted