definitions

children

[ chil-druh n ]
/ ˈtʃɪl drən /
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR children ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

plural of child.

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RELATED WORDS

infant, toddler, adolescent, juvenile, youth, teenager, baby, kid, offspring, minor, youngster, bairn, sprout, suckling, newborn, lamb, progeny, tyke, tot, imp

Nearby words

childly, childminder, childness, childproof, childrearing, children, children of god, children of israel, children's crusade, children's day, children's hour, the

Definition for children (2 of 2)

child

[ chahyld ]
/ tʃaɪld /

noun, plural chil·dren.

Origin of child

before 950; Middle English; Old English cild; akin to Gothic kilthai womb

Related forms

child·less, adjectivechild·less·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for children

British Dictionary definitions for children (1 of 2)

children

/ (ˈtʃɪldrən) /

noun

the plural of child

British Dictionary definitions for children (2 of 2)

child

/ (tʃaɪld) /

noun plural children

Derived Forms

childless, adjectivechildlessness, nounchildly, adjective

Word Origin for child

Old English cild; related to Gothic kilthei womb, Sanskrit jathara belly, jartu womb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for children

child

[ chīld ]

n.

A person who has not yet reached puberty.
A son or daughter; an offspring.
A person not of legal age; a minor.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Idioms and Phrases with children

child

In addition to the idiom beginning with child

, also see

  • second childhood

.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.