adulthood
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of adulthood
Explanation
When you stop growing and start shaving, you are in adulthood — a point where you reach maturity. Unfortunately, physical adulthood does not necessarily imply that psychological adulthood is present. Adulthood implies a maturity of sorts, whether it be physical or psychological. In many cultures, adulthood is marked with a “coming of age” ritual. In Judaism for example, adulthood is marked by the Bat Mitzvah for girls (age 12) and the Bar Mitzvah for boys (age 13) — in which the girl or boy is considered to have reached adulthood within the community.
Vocabulary lists containing adulthood
Sula
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
-dom and -hood
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
We were inculcated with the importance of charity, love toward all, good works and humility, and urged to carry those virtues into adulthood.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
Japanese macaques like this one - also known as snow monkeys - are about the size of a medium-sized dog once they reach adulthood.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
That makes adulthood feel less like independence and more like an abrupt transition into a harsh world of trade-offs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Much of this myelination takes place after birth and continues until young adulthood.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026
The old man said that if you let me grow to adulthood your Order would be destroyed.
From "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
