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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

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Etymology

Origin of child

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

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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

“Everyone has a mom or dad or child they feel passionate about caring for,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

But supporting public education and enhancing parents’ ability to seek a safe school for their child aren’t mutually exclusive.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

"They are open goals and you can score more," said one child, while another added: "There's less players so it is easier to dribble around them."

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026

Wildlife officials euthanized a coyote in Atwater Village after a reported attack on a 16-month-old child.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026

Until then, I had simply been her child, her daughter, and she my mother.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo

Alex Jenner, from Help a Guernsey Child, said: "Over the past 25 years, we have seen significant changes in the types of support families require."

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

Jonathan Burton was a clarion Malcolm, Duncan’s eldest son and heir; soprano Jazmine Saunders had an eerie, offstage cameo as the apparition of the Bloody Child.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

But there are still plenty of remnants of Child.

From Salon ● Sep. 24, 2026

Yolo County Child Welfare Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

You are a Marvel, my Child, you are my best Years.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Such a gift likely would be a great investment for America’s children.

From Barron's ● Oct. 19, 2026

Parents want their children to express their Jewish identity openly and receive a quality education without fear of harassment, intimidation or violence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

Giving away one share to each of the estimated 72 million children in the U.S. would cost Musk roughly $10.5 billion, based on SpaceX’s stock price at Friday’s close.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 19, 2026

"It is scary. I feel crazy, the children and I don't have security," she said.

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026

The human children had come here tonight looking for a fabled beast.

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

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Related Words

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

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