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.
-
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.
-
a descendant.
a child of an ancient breed.
-
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
Other Word Forms
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:
"We get even more people needing help then because they want to put the heating on, but they still need to buy nappies and feed and clothe their child," she said.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
A child wriggled screaming out of her father's arms, just after the pope said "Peace be upon you" and the avenue fell silent.
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026
In February 2025, Timpf welcomed her first child, a baby boy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026
When officers arrived, a resident had just found the child.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026
Every time I see them, I remind myself of what they see as we come towards them: a girl and a younger child out walking.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
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
“Neagley,” now streaming from Prime Video, spins off from “Reacher,” born in the novels of Lee Child.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026
Michael Sincere is a MarketWatch contributor and author of several books, including “Understanding Stocks,” “Understanding Options” and “Help Your Child Build Wealth.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
“Starving. I had to take a make-up quiz during lunch. Did you eat already? Please tell me your parents at least believe in eating lunch. Otherwise I might actually have to call Child Protective Services.”
From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway
"Now, you're looking at one in two children in some parts, and that's just a shocking number that really shouldn't be happening."
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
Nogbou said that about 70% of the children they helped had a parent who was working and she said many were "not managing to manage the bills with energy and fuel prices going up".
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
His mother urged other parents to "hold their children a little tighter and cherish every moment".
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
Their children grew up in a glorious era of double-digit economic growth.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
The human children crested the hill, a dozen silhouettes backlit by the rippling green light of Progress.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
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.
