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• child
  child

  noun

  a person between birth and puberty or full growth.
• Child
  Child

  noun

  Julia, 1912–2004, U.S. gourmet cook, author, and television personality.

child

¹ American  

[chahyld] / tʃaɪld /

noun

• children
  plural

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.

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idioms

1. with child, pregnant.

   She's with child.

Child ² American  

[chahyld] / tʃaɪld /

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.

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child British  

/ 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

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child More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing child

• second childhood

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• childlessness
  noun
• childless
  adjective
• childly
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• children
  plural

Etymology

Origin of child

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

Explanation

A child is a young person who's typically older than a baby but younger than a teen. As a child, you probably had your parents watching over you as you played in a sandbox. The noun child come from the Old English word cild, meaning "child, infant." Retaining a similar meaning into modern times, the word still refers to a young person, male or female. But you can be considered a child after reaching adulthood — in the eyes of your parents, at least. Immature behavior like throwing a temper tantrum can also mark you as a child. The word can also refer to someone in a clan or tribe, young or old.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

child Child children

She also noted that the mayor has fixed more than 170,000 potholes, expanded universal child care, and balanced the budget amid a $12 billion deficit.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

Laura remembers watching a solar eclipse when she was a child: "We all had the eclipse glasses and it was very exciting."

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

And another that she lived through as a child: the 1985 eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano, which wiped out an entire town called Armero and left 25,000 dead.

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

You want a child who feels secure and loved and is developing.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

Clare cried, sounding like a stubborn child being sent to his room without supper.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

So said Barack Obama in 2012 when he eased what he called “one-size-fits-all” mandates in the No Child Left Behind law.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

The findings from the first year of follow-up have now been analyzed and published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026

Michael Sincere is a MarketWatch contributor and editor and the author of several books, including “Understanding Stocks,” “Understanding Options” and “Help Your Child Build Wealth.”

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026

Child and Family Services Agency, which launched an investigation by D.C. police.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

“Someday we have to send the Wild Child off, you know,” Mother remarked.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

But those for hepatitis A and B, dengue, flu, Covid and rotavirus would be advised only for “high-risk” children, or else would to be left to “shared clinical decision-making” between doctors and parents.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

Wearing No. 11 on her cheek at Marina games was his girlfriend, Lauren Carr, now his wife and mother of his two children.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

They often resemble dumplings, but children "can't see what's inside the box so they're excited to see which one they get".

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

Several children sleep on mattresses along the sidewalk in front of the home.

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

Tante Bep, with her perpetual, disapproving scowl, was the oldest of the aunts and the one we children liked least.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

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