child
noun
a person between birth and puberty or full growth.
child
1 American
[chahyld]
/ tʃaɪld /
noun
-
children
plural
-
a person between birth and puberty or full growth.
books for children.
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a son or daughter; offspring considered with regard to parents.
All my children are married.
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a baby or infant.
A child of six months can recognize family members.
-
a human fetus.
My sister is seven months pregnant with a healthy child.
-
a childish person.
He's such a child about money.
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a descendant.
a child of an ancient breed.
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any person or thing regarded as the product or result of particular agencies, influences, etc..
Abstract art is a child of the 20th century.
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a person regarded as conditioned or marked by a given circumstance, situation, etc..
a child of poverty; a child of famine.
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British Dialect, Archaic. a female infant.
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Archaic. childe.
idioms
Child
2
American
[chahyld]
/ tʃaɪld /
noun
-
Julia, 1912–2004, U.S. gourmet cook, author, and television personality.
-
Lydia Maria (Francis), 1802–80, U.S. author, abolitionist, and social reformer.
child
British
/ tʃaɪld /
noun
-
-
a boy or girl between birth and puberty
-
( as modifier )
child labour
-
-
a baby or infant
-
an unborn baby
-
another term for pregnant
-
a human offspring; a son or daughter
-
a childish or immature person
-
a member of a family or tribe; descendant
a child of Israel
-
a person or thing regarded as the product of an influence or environment
a child of nature
-
dialect a female infant
child
More Idioms
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Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
Vocabulary lists containing child
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.
See Examples For:
The latter would include expanding the child tax credit and earned income tax credit so they reach more low-income households.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026
Undue influence carries a high burden of proof, particularly when the alleged influencer is an adult child who, your brother will argue, devoted three years to caring for your father.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2026
Born to IT professional Roger and homemaker Grace in October 1996, Wong was diagnosed with dyslexia as a child, which made him struggle with school.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
Seoul, the poster child of the AI-led surge in the first half of the year, shed around four percent, while Taipei lost almost two percent.
From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026
I’m more and more convinced that Bubbe lived in a different country as a child.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
“I’ve had a robust career,” said Gand, who has worked with Julia Child, hosted a Food Network cooking show and written cookbooks, “but never thought my jerky would be in the movies.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
Adolescence co-creator Jack Thorne – who wrote the films Wonder and Enola Holmes, as well as the Harry Potter And The Cursed Child stage play – is also providing financial backing to the scheme.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
In its collection practices, the Perfect Child itself raised the specter of the FBI.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
The early warning system for children, PEWS, is a collaboration between NHS England and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the Royal College of Nursing.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
Child X’s favorite activity was making my life miserable.
From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
That’s a red flag, if he has two children with whom he has a good relationship, and if no previous will had indicated preferential treatment.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2026
The first lady has also been involved in efforts to return Ukrainian children taken to Russia.
From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026
Police said the batch was intended for vaccinating children but did not disclose how many doses had been seized or the specific grounds for the investigation.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
“It never seemed like marriage was necessary to raise my children in a safe and loving atmosphere,” Foxx wrote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026
For on top of everything, the human children would come to the edge of Clare’s wood.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
