child

¹ American  

[chahyld] / tʃaɪld /

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.

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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

• childless adjective
• childlessness noun
• childly adjective

Etymology

Origin of child

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

Example Sentences

Following the verdicts, the Staffordshire councillor responsible for child services, Nick Lakin, said a council review of the case would be "published in due course".

From BBC

There was also the news that council districts in Northern England had instructed schoolteachers not to encourage children in classrooms to draw any pictures that might be offensive to Muslims.

From The Wall Street Journal

During a session on Iran's record, Bahreini urged the UN's top rights body to instead discuss the Iranian cultural heritage under "indiscriminate" attack and "the innocent children massacred at their school desks".

From Barron's

"In the name of our future, in the name of all our children, stop all these wars. Now."

From Barron's

A journalist who was contacted to write about a kidney donor appeal for a child and ended up as the donor herself, says she hopes to inspire others.

From BBC

Related Words

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