grown-up

American  

[grohn-uhp] / ˈgroʊnˈʌp /

adjective

1. having reached the age of maturity.

2. characteristic of or suitable for adults.

   grown-up behavior; grown-up fiction.

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grown-up British  

adjective

1. having reached maturity; adult

2. suitable for or characteristic of an adult

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noun

1. an adult

Other Word Forms

• grown-upness noun

Etymology

Origin of grown-up

First recorded in 1625–35; adj. use of verb phrase grow up

Example Sentences

“I mean, I really, really want to make the basketball team. But even if I make it in seventh and eighth grades, then there’s high school to deal with. Whoa. And then there’s college, and being a grown-up. It’s all pretty scary, don’t you think?”

From Literature

“You know. If you’re going to get all worried about being a grown-up, you might as well figure out what’s going to happen when you’re ninety years old and you die,” Jonah said.

From Literature

“When you’re a grown-up,” Jonah said, “you can try to find your birth parents. You won’t need your mom and dad’s permission for anything then. And until then—until then, I swear, I’ll do everything I can to help you.”

From Literature

“No, I mean, like, a grown-up. Your parents.”

From Literature

And Chip’s address wasn’t typed but written—in firm grown-up handwriting, like a teacher’s.

From Literature