Dictionary

adult en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• [ˈadʌɫt] (Canada)
• [ˈæɾl̩t] General American, Maritimes
• [əˈdʌɫt] (Canada)
• [ˈadʊɫt] (nonstandard)
• /ˈæd.ɒlt/ gulf-golf merger
• (Canada) audio
• [əˈdʌɫt] General American, Maritimes
• /ˈæd.əlt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (England) audio
• /ˈæd.əlt/ General American, Maritimes
• [aˈdʌɫt] (nonstandard)
• /əˈdʌlt/ General American, Maritimes
• [əˈdʊɫt] (nonstandard)
• /əˈdɒlt/ gulf-golf merger
• (Ontario, Southern) audio
• [ˈad(ə)ɫt] (nonstandard)
• /ˈæd.ʌlt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (California) audio

Etymology

From French adulte, from Latin adultus (“grown up”), perfect passive participle of adolescō (“to grow up”). Compare adolescent.

Meanings

1. Fully grown.
   • an adult human, animal, or plant
   • The paws of the adult brown bear, and also their hams, especially when smoked, are considered a great delicacy. 1837, Michael Donovan, Domestic Economy: Human Food, Animal and Vegetable, page 86:
2. Intended for or restricted to adults rather than children due to size, maturity, knowledge level, judgement, etc.
   • In May 1967 the WGBH Education Division submitted an initial proposal to HUD for a series of four adult television documentaries on conservation in an urban environment. 1973, Marshall Kaplan, Gans, and Kahn, Children and the urban environment (page 21)
   • adult clothes; adult cereal; an adult documentary
3. Intended for or restricted to adults rather than children due to size, maturity, knowledge level, judgement, etc. ▸ Containing situations or discussions intended primarily for adults, such as serious crime, illicit drug use, extramarital affairs, etc.
   • adult situations; adult discussions
4. (of a beverage) Intended for or restricted to adults rather than children due to size, maturity, knowledge level, judgement, etc. ▸ Containing alcohol, intended for consumption only by adults.
   • an adult drink; an adult root beer float
5. (of a cookie, qualifier:gummy, usually) Intended for or restricted to adults rather than children due to size, maturity, knowledge level, judgement, etc. ▸ Containing marijuana, intended for consumption only by adults.
   • an adult cookie; adult gummy worms
6. Intended for or restricted to adults rather than children due to size, maturity, knowledge level, judgement, etc. ▸ Containing material of an explicit sexual nature; pornographic.
   • an adult movie
   • This program contains adult content. Parental discretion is advised.
7. Intended for or restricted to adults rather than children due to size, maturity, knowledge level, judgement, etc. ▸ Containing excessive vulgar or profane speech, text or images, intended only for adults.
   • adult language; an adult cartoon
8. Intended for or restricted to adults rather than children due to size, maturity, knowledge level, judgement, etc. ▸ Intended for, or restricted to, those who are not young children.
   • The Storehouse is open daily from 09:30 to 17:00, except for during July and August when it stays open until 19:00. Adult admission is €14, children under 12 pay €5, and children under 6 go free. You get a 10% discount if you book online. 2007, Dublin, Explorer Publishing & Distribution, →ISBN, page 200:
   • At the far end of the table and almost immediately opposite her father sat Colophon. Next to her sat her cousin Jules, who had turned twelve the preceding year and was therefore enjoying his second year at the adult table. 2012, Deron R. Hicks, Secrets of Shakespeare's Grave, Houghton Mifflin, →ISBN, page 32:
   • Children go free, but for those 12 and up, you must purchase an adult ticket.
   • A few days later, we had finished a day of sunbathing and oscillating between the kiddie pool and the adult pool, always settling for the latter after one too many baby Hamoudies had taken a shit in the pool. 2020, Kamelya Omayma Youssef, “Frayed Towel Made Holy: Prayer [Rug] for This Nonbeliever”, in Khaled Mattawa, Pauline Kaldas, editor, Beyond Memory: An Anthology of Contemporary Arab American Creative Nonfiction, University of Arkansas Press, →ISBN, page 248:
   • an adult menu; an adult fare

Forms

Deriveds

adultocentric · adultlike · adult survivor · adult language · hyperadult · adult beverage · adultness · adultify · adultish · adult content · subadult · adultophile · adult relations · adultize · adult-onset diabetes · adultization · unadult · adultism · older adult · adult baby · adult shop · adultwear · adultcentrism · adult baby syndrome · adult bookstore · adulty · adultivity · adult contemporary · adultification · adult education · Disney adult · adultship · preadult · adult actress · hot adult contemporary · adultoid · adult film · adult-oriented rock · adult respiratory distress syndrome · adultescent · adult child · pseudoadult · adult protection · adultspeak · adult learner · adult alternative · consenting adult · new adult · adult album alternative · adult star · appropriate adult · adult in the room · nonadult · young adult · adulticide · adultly · kidult · emerging adult · adult third culture kid · adult movie

Relateds

adolescent · adulthood

Synonyms

grown up · salacious · grown up (intended for adults) · fully grown · big (fully grown) · blue · XXX · X-rated · XXXX · indecent · pornographic (containing explicit sexual material) · obscene · for adults

Translations (76)

la pubēs (fully grown) · ko 성인의 (intended for adults) · cmn 成人 (fully grown) · fi aikuis- (intended for adults) · uk доро́слий (fully grown) · lv pieaudzis (fully grown) · cy (i) oedolion (intended for adults) · pl dla dorosłych (intended for adults) · tr yetişkin (intended for adults) · es adulto (fully grown) · tr ergin (fully grown) · ru для взро́слых (intended for adults) · lt suaugusysis (fully grown) · txb śrāy (fully grown) · fr adulte (fully grown) · cs dospělý (fully grown) · it adulta (fully grown) · ru взро́слый (fully grown) · cy mewn oed (fully grown) · ko 다 자란 (fully grown) · sl odrasel (fully grown) · eo adolta (fully grown) · bg въ́зрастен (fully grown) · de erwachsen (fully grown) · ga d'aosaigh (intended for adults) · bn প্রাপ্তবয়স্ক (fully grown) · it per adulti (intended for adults) · ga aosach (intended for adults) · sv vuxen- (intended for adults) · sa प्रौढ (fully grown) · eo plenkreska (fully grown) · csm ˀypé·la- (fully grown) · grc ἁδρός (fully grown) · it adulto (fully grown) · fi aikuisille suunnattu (intended for adults) · vo daülik (cf. daül) (fully grown) · pt adulto (fully grown) · sh za odrasle (intended for adults) · sa वृद्ध (fully grown) · mk за возрасни (intended for adults) · fi aikuinen (fully grown) · ta பெரியர் (fully grown) · sv vuxen (fully grown) · la puber (fully grown) · tr yetişkin (fully grown) · be даро́слы (fully grown) · pl dorosły (fully grown) · hi वयस्क (fully grown) · mwl adulto (fully grown) · tl adulto (fully grown) · nl volwassen (fully grown) · gl adulto (fully grown) · bg пълноле́тен (fully grown) · hy հասուն (fully grown) · kk кәмелеттік (fully grown) · ga fásta (fully grown) · rgn adùlt (fully grown) · ta பெரியவர் (fully grown) · hi बालिग़ (fully grown) · et täiskasvanu (fully grown) · ro adult (fully grown) · bn সাবালক (fully grown) · bg за възрастни (intended for adults) · mwl adulta (fully grown) · hi प्रौढ़ (fully grown) · ast adultu (fully grown) · la adultus (fully grown) · pl dorosła (fully grown) · ga aosaithe (fully grown) · got 𐍆𐌿𐌻𐌻𐌰𐍅𐌴𐌹𐍃 (fully grown) · grc τέλειος (fully grown) · ga aosach (fully grown) · vi trưởng thành (fully grown) · ca adult (fully grown) · sk dospelý (fully grown) · af volwasse (fully grown)

adult en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• [ˈadʌɫt] (Canada)
• [ˈæɾl̩t] General American, Maritimes
• [əˈdʌɫt] (Canada)
• [ˈadʊɫt] (nonstandard)
• /ˈæd.ɒlt/ gulf-golf merger
• (Canada) audio
• [əˈdʌɫt] General American, Maritimes
• /ˈæd.əlt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (England) audio
• /ˈæd.əlt/ General American, Maritimes
• [aˈdʌɫt] (nonstandard)
• /əˈdʌlt/ General American, Maritimes
• [əˈdʊɫt] (nonstandard)
• /əˈdɒlt/ gulf-golf merger
• (Ontario, Southern) audio
• [ˈad(ə)ɫt] (nonstandard)
• /ˈæd.ʌlt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (California) audio

Etymology

From French adulte, from Latin adultus (“grown up”), perfect passive participle of adolescō (“to grow up”). Compare adolescent.

Meanings

1. An animal that is full-grown.
   • The young not only differs from the adult by the presence of its gills, but its feet are only developed by degrees, and in several genera there are also a deciduous beak and tail, and intestines of a different form 1840, Georges Cuvier, Edward Blyth, Robert Mudie, George Johnston, J.O. Westwood, “The fourth order of reptiles—The batrachians”, in Cuvier's Animal Kingdom, page 286:
2. A person who has reached the legal age of majority.

Forms

Antonyms

child · youngling

Hypernyms

person

Hyponyms

man · woman · old person

Relateds

adultlike · mature

Synonyms

grown-up · grown up (fully grown human or other animal) · growed-up · adult · postpubescent · grownup

Translations (151)

ht granmoun (fully grown human) · th ผู้ใหญ่ (fully grown human) · da voksen (fully grown human) · la adultus (fully grown human) · af volwassene (fully grown human) · bg въ́зрастна (fully grown human) · eo plenkreskulo (fully grown human) · si වැඩිහිටියා (fully grown human) · mwl adulto (fully grown human) · ast adultu (fully grown human) · el ενήλικος (fully grown human) · tl nasagulang (fully grown human) · uk доро́слий (fully grown human) · hi वयस्क (fully grown human) · ro adultă (fully grown human) · sl odrasla (fully grown human) · de Erwachsene (fully grown human) · cs dospělá (fully grown human) · be даро́слы (fully grown human) · ja 成人 (fully grown human) · ru взро́слая (fully grown human) · ko 어른 (fully grown human) · hi प्रौढ़ (fully grown human) · mi kātua (fully grown human) · io adultino (fully grown human) · kk ересек (fully grown human) · ps بالغ (fully grown human) · hy մեծահասակ (fully grown human) · ur بالِغ (fully grown human) · mwl adulta (fully grown human) · fi aikuinen (fully grown human) · bn সাবালক (fully grown human) · srn bigisma (fully grown human) · ka ზრდადამთავრებული (fully grown human) · fa کلانسال (fully grown human) · pt adulto (fully grown human) · pt adulta (fully grown human) · eo virplenkreskulo (fully grown human) · hy չափահաս (fully grown human) · sh pȕnoletan (fully grown human) · sw mtu mzima (fully grown human) · rgn adùlt (fully grown human) · eo viradolto (fully grown human) · ny mkulu (fully grown human) · cy oedolyn (fully grown human) · sv vuxen (fully grown human) · mk возрасна (fully grown human) · ja 大人 (fully grown human) · lo ຜູ້ໃຫຍ່ (fully grown human) · mk возрасен (fully grown human) · et täisealine (fully grown human) · ru взро́слый (fully grown human) · io adulto (fully grown human) · io adultulo (fully grown human) · ka მოწიფული (fully grown human) · sk dospelý (fully grown human) · cmn 成人 (fully grown human) · ga duine aosach (fully grown human) · fr grand (fully grown human) · kk үлкен (fully grown human) · sh о̀дра̄стао (fully grown human) · vi người lớn (fully grown human) · uk доро́сла (fully grown human) · vo hidaülan (fully grown human) · ms dewasa (fully grown human) · el ενήλικας (fully grown human) · ga duine (fully grown human) · hu felnőtt (fully grown human) · ryu 大人 (fully grown human) · tl adulto (fully grown human) · or ପ୍ରାପ୍ତବୟସ୍କ (fully grown human) · ka სრულწლოვანი (fully grown human) · af grootmens (fully grown human) · fr adulte (fully grown human) · it adulta (fully grown human) · sh òdrāstao (fully grown human) · mi pakeke (fully grown human) · id dewasa (fully grown human) · ka სრულასაკოვანი (fully grown human) · tg болиғ (fully grown human) · ga duine fásta (fully grown human) · eo adoltino (fully grown human) · gl adulto (fully grown human) · eo adolto (fully grown human) · la adulta (fully grown human) · ca adulta (fully grown human) · cmn 成年 (fully grown human) · bn প্রাপ্তবয়স্ক (fully grown human) · txb orotstse (fully grown human) · lt suaugusi (fully grown human) · eo plenkreskulino (fully grown human) · mi paheke (fully grown human) · de Erwachsener (fully grown human) · nn vaksen (fully grown human) · sh пу̏нолетан (fully grown human) · ky бойго жеткен (fully grown human) · sa प्रौढ (fully grown human) · bg въ́зрастен (fully grown human) · fa بالغ (fully grown human) · jje 어룬 (fully grown human) · ar بَالِغ (fully grown human) · yue 大人 (fully grown human) · pl dorosły (fully grown human) · uz katta yoshli (fully grown human) · hi बालिग़ (fully grown human) · tl maygulang (fully grown human) · lt suaugęs (fully grown human) · he מבוגרת \ מְבֻגֶּרֶת (fully grown human) · fa بزرگسال (fully grown human) · pl dorosła (fully grown human) · vo daülan (fully grown human) · es adulta (fully grown human) · sq i rritur (fully grown human) · es adulto (fully grown human) · wyi karre-nen (fully grown human) · km មនុស្សពេញវ័យ (fully grown human) · nb voksen (fully grown human) · ka ზრდასრული (fully grown human) · ro adult (fully grown human) · vo jidaülan (fully grown human) · ca adult (fully grown human) · rcf gramoun (fully grown human) · yo àgbàlagbà (fully grown human) · ast adulta (fully grown human) · sh пу̏нољетан (fully grown human) · is fullorðinn (fully grown human) · ko 성인 (fully grown human) · nl volwassene (fully grown human) · sk dospelá (fully grown human) · cmn 大人 (fully grown human) · ar رَاشِد (fully grown human) · he מבוגר \ מְבֻגָּר (fully grown human) · sh pȕnoljetan (fully grown human) · be даро́слая (fully grown human) · mi pāhake (fully grown human) · my လူကြီး (fully grown human) · lv pieaugušais (fully grown human) · tr yetişkin (fully grown human) · ka მოზრდილი (fully grown human) · sl odrasel (fully grown human) · kmr mirovê gihîştî (fully grown human) · it adulto (fully grown human) · az yaşlı adam (fully grown human) · pl osoba dorosła (fully grown human) · ga aosach (fully grown human) · cs dospělý (cf. dospělák m) (fully grown human) · oc adulte (fully grown human) · az yetkin (fully grown human) · fr grande personne (fully grown human) · et täiskasvanu (fully grown human) · gl adulta (fully grown human)

adult en · VERB

Pronunciation

• [ˈadʌɫt] (Canada)
• [ˈæɾl̩t] General American, Maritimes
• [əˈdʌɫt] (Canada)
• [ˈadʊɫt] (nonstandard)
• /ˈæd.ɒlt/ gulf-golf merger
• (Canada) audio
• [əˈdʌɫt] General American, Maritimes
• /ˈæd.əlt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (England) audio
• /ˈæd.əlt/ General American, Maritimes
• [aˈdʌɫt] (nonstandard)
• /əˈdʌlt/ General American, Maritimes
• [əˈdʊɫt] (nonstandard)
• /əˈdɒlt/ gulf-golf merger
• (Ontario, Southern) audio
• [ˈad(ə)ɫt] (nonstandard)
• /ˈæd.ʌlt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (California) audio

Etymology

From French adulte, from Latin adultus (“grown up”), perfect passive participle of adolescō (“to grow up”). Compare adolescent.

Meanings

1. (intransitive, slang) To behave like an adult.
   • Adulting is hard!
2. (nonstandard, rare) To (cause to) be or become an adult.
   • Womanhood was achieved at twenty-one, when the female was "adulted"; manhood was fully achieved at twenty-five, […] 1974, Occasional Papers, numbers 42-46, Syracuse University, page 5:
   • The process of adulting children[…] overlaps with the process of the uncontrolled infiltration of the media[…] into children’s imagination. 2013, Ewa Rewers, The Contradictions of Urban Art, →ISBN, page 84:

Forms