Adjacent Words

Adult definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

ADULT', n. [L. adultus, grown to maturity, from oleo, to grow; Heb. to ascend.]
Having arrived at mature years, or to full size and strength; as an adult person or plant.
ADULT', n. A person grown to full size and strength, or to the years of manhood. It is also applied to full grown plants. among civilians, a person between fourteen and twenty-five years of age.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: (of animals) fully developed; "an adult animal"; "a grown woman" [syn: adult, big, full-grown, fully grown, grown, grownup]
2: designed to arouse lust; "pornographic films and magazines"; "adult movies" [syn: pornographic, adult] n
1: a fully developed person from maturity onward [syn: adult, grownup] [ant: juvenile, juvenile person]
2: any mature animal

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Latin adultus, past participle of adolescere to grow up, from ad- + -olescere (from alescere to grow) — more at old Date: 1531 1. fully developed and mature ; grown-up 2. of, relating to, intended for, or befitting adults <an adult approach to a problem> 3. dealing in or with explicitly sexual material <adult bookstores> <adult movies> • adulthood noun • adultly adverb • adultness noun II. noun Date: 1658 one that is adult; especially a human being after an age (as 21) specified by law • adultlike adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. & n. --adj. 1 mature, grown-up. 2 a of or for adults (adult education). b euphem. sexually explicit; indecent (adult films). --n. 1 an adult person. 2 Law a person who has reached the age of majority. Derivatives: adulthood n. adultly adv. Etymology: L adultus past part. of adolescere grow up: cf. ADOLESCENT

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Adult A*dult", a. [L. adultus, p. p. of adolescere, akin to alere to nourish: cf. F. adulte. See Adolescent, Old.] Having arrived at maturity, or to full size and strength; matured; as, an adult person or plant; an adult ape; an adult age.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Adult A*dult", n. A person, animal, or plant grown to full size and strength; one who has reached maturity. Note: In the common law, the term is applied to a person who has attained full age or legal majority; in the civil law, to males after the age of fourteen, and to females after twelve.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(adults) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. An adult is a mature, fully developed person. An adult has reached the age when they are legally responsible for their actions. Becoming a father signified that he was now an adult... Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. ? minor N-COUNT 2. An adult is a fully developed animal. ...a pair of adult birds. ? juvenile N-COUNT: oft N n 3. Adult means relating to the time when you are an adult, or typical of adult people. I've lived most of my adult life in London. ADJ: ADJ n 4. If you say that someone is adult about something, you think that they act in a mature, intelligent way, especially when faced with a difficult situation. We were very adult about it. We discussed it rationally over a drink. = mature ADJ: v-link ADJ [approval] 5. You can describe things such as films or books as adult when they deal with sex in a very clear and open way. ...an adult movie. ADJ

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. a. Mature, grown up, full grown, of age, of mature age, ripe, ripened. II. n. Person of mature age, grown-up person.

Moby Thesaurus

aged, big, full-blown, full-fledged, full-grown, grown, grown up, grown-up, marriable, marriageable, mature, matured, maturescent, nubile, of age, of marriageable age, old, ripe, ripened