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kidult

American  
[ki-duhlt] / kɪˈdʌlt /

noun

Informal.
  1. adultescent.


kidult British  
/ ˈkɪdʌlt /

noun

  1. an adult who is interested in forms of entertainment such as computer games, television programmes, etc that are intended for children

"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

adjective

  1. aimed at or suitable for kidults, or both children and adults

"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

Etymology

Origin of kidult

First recorded in 1985–90; kid 1 + (ad)ult

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 kidult sector is booming, encompassing everyone from the so-called “Disney adult” to those who carry a Labubu doll as a fashion accessory.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 28, 2025

According to Melissa Symonds from Circana, the kidult trend is showing no signs of slowing down.

From BBC Feb. 8, 2025

The truth is that the books ushered in the dumb kidult era we’re currently having to endure, with illiteracy rates significantly on the rise for the first time in a century!

From The Guardian Aug. 17, 2018

Merriam isn’t going that far, but it is posting reader submissions on its Open Dictionary page—planking, kidult, conflict mineral—and adding some of them to the New Words queue.

From Slate Jan. 12, 2015

In recent decades, as the kidult, media-saturated generations raised since the '70s have grown in consumption power and produced their own offspring, the polarity of animated films has gradually but decisively shifted.

From Salon Mar. 3, 2011

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