age of consent
Americannoun
noun
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the age at which a person is considered legally competent to consent to sexual intercourse
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the age at which a person can enter into a legally binding contract
Etymology
Origin of age of consent
First recorded in 1800–10
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.
Norman Woods of South Dakota Family Voice Action said it doesn’t make sense to raise the age for marriage if the age of consent in South Dakota remains at 16.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 30, 2024
The legal age of consent in the UK is 16.
From BBC • Sep. 27, 2023
It has been this way since 1885 in the UK, when the age of consent was raised from 13.
From BBC • Sep. 23, 2023
Washington’s age of consent for gender-affirming surgery without approval from a parent or guardian is 18.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 21, 2023
In 1885-87 she was superintendent of the Department of Social Purity, and at once entered upon a vigorous campaign to raise "the age of consent" for young girls.
From Two Decades A History of the First Twenty Years' Work of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of the State of New York by Graham, Frances W.
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.
