Dictionary

man child en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English manchylde, man-chylde (“a male child”), equivalent to man + child.

Meanings

1. (derogatory, informal) An adult male who is childish or immature.
   • In the end, Brown said he just couldn't stand another day of trying to run a team with two sets of rules — one for 11 players and the other for the man-child superstar. 2004, Glen Macnow, Angelo Cataldi, The Great Philadelphia Sports Debate, Middle Atlantic Press, published 2004, →ISBN, page 161:
2. (archaic) A young male human; a boy.
   • "She is dead," he announced, very gravely and simply. The hunchback shivered. Captain Runacles neither spoke nor stirred in his chair. "A man-child was born at two o'clock. He is alive: his mother died two hours later." 1891, Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, The Blue Pavilions:
   • Bring forth Men-Children onely: / For thy vndaunted Mettle ſhould compoſe / Nothing but Males. c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene vii], page 135, column 2:
   • Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Leviticus 12:2:

Forms

Antonyms

girlchild · macho man · womanchild · baby girl · machoman · woman-child · alpha male · woman child

Relateds

manchild · Peter Pan syndrome · man-child · manchild · kidult · man-child

Synonyms

baby boy · boyo · son · shaveling · manbaby · boykin · page · guy · bhoy · little boy · chav · sapling · stripling · younker · man child · baby boy · manboy · lad · pillicock · callant · manling · boy · yob · youth · sonny · springald · feely-omi · knave

Translations (13)

sv barnrumpa (an adult man who is childish or immature) · cmn 巨嬰 /巨婴 (an adult man who is childish or immature) · mk де́тенце (an adult man who is childish or immature) · iso ọmọzaị (a young male human; a boy) · mk не́зрел (an adult man who is childish or immature) · es zangolotino (an adult man who is childish or immature) · es niñato (an adult man who is childish or immature) · pt crianção (an adult man who is childish or immature) · mk недо́раснат (an adult man who is childish or immature) · mk мо́мче (a young male human; a boy) · fi mieslapsi (an adult man who is childish or immature) · sv förvuxet barn (an adult man who is childish or immature) · es inmaduro (an adult man who is childish or immature)