adult Hear it!

adult definition

adult (ə dult′, ad′ult′)

adjective

  1. grown up; mature in age, size, strength, etc.
  2. of or for adult persons an adult novel
  3. containing or providing pornography adult movies

Etymology: L adultus, pp. of adolescere: see adolescent

noun

  1. a man or woman who is fully grown up; mature person
  2. an animal or plant that is fully developed
  3. a person who has reached the age of majority, now generally 18 years

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

law adult definition - legal

medical adult definition - medical

adult Synonyms

adult

modif.

of age, mature, grown, developed; see mature 1, ripe 2. See syn. study atripe.


adult

n.

mature person, grown-up, fully developed member of a species; see man 2, woman 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

adult Usage Examples

Converse of subject

  • accomapnied: Children under 16 must be accomapnied by an adult How many NEW volunteers required?

Adjective modifier

  • vulnerable: Here are just a few:- Acting as Appropriate Adults - for young people and vulnerable adults in Police custody.

Modifies a noun

  • learner: The activity must take place in adult learners week.

Noun used with modifier

  • working-age: Guaranteed issue laws to other african accessed on may working-age adults or.

Preposition: with

  • incapacity: Two courses about intervention and guardianship orders under the Adults with Incapacity ( Scotland ) Act 2000 are being held in 2003.
adult usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

adult quotes

The fact that the adult American Negro female emerges a formidable character is often met with amazement, distaste and even belligerence. It is seldom accepted as an inevitable outcome of the struggle won by survivors, and deserves respect if not enthusiastic acceptance.

-Angelou, Maya originally MayaJohnson

English children have lost their innocence, for their first lessons have been in the exploitation of their adult slave.

-Greer, Germaine

Acting is a masochistic form of exhibitionism. It is not quite the occupation of an adult.

-Olivier, Laurence Kerr, Baron

adult quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"adult." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/adult>

APA Style

adult. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/adult

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