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child definition

child (c̸hīld)

noun pl. children chil′·dren

  1. an infant; baby
  2. an unborn offspring; fetus
  3. a boy or girl in the period before puberty
  4. a son or daughter; offspring
    1. a descendant
    2. a member of a tribe, clan, etc.: often used in pl. children of Israel
  6. a person like a child in interests, judgment, etc., or one regarded as immature and childish
  7. a person identified with a specified place, time, etc. a child of the Renaissance
  8. a thing that springs from a specified source; product a child of one's imagination
  9. Archaic childe
  10. Brit., Dialectal a female infant

Etymology: ME, pl. childre (now dial. childer; children is double pl.) < OE cild, pl. cild, cildru < IE *gelt-, a swelling up < base *gel-, rounded (sense development: swelling — womb — fetus — offspring > Goth kilthei, womb, L globus, sphere

Related Forms:

child Idioms

with child

pregnant
Child definition

Child (c̸hīld)

Child, Francis James 1825-96; U.S. scholar and collector of Eng. & Scot. ballads

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

Alternate definitions:

idioms child idiom

law child definition - legal

medical child definition - medical

child Synonyms

child

n.

boy, girl, kid*, baby*, newborn*, infant*, nestling*, toddler*, tot*, preschooler, moppet*, preteen*, youth*, adolescent*, teenager*, youngster*, daughter*, son*, grandchild*, stepchild*, foster child, offspring*, descendant*, innocent*, stripling*, minor*, youngling*, mite*, chick*, juvenile*, tad*, tyke*, cub*, small fry*, little one, cherub*, chit*, whippersnapper*, pubescent*, progeny*, issue*, kiddie*, papoose*, teeny-bopper*, nymphet*, whelp*, brat*, imp*, urchin*, shaver*; see also baby 1, boy, daughter, girl 1, son.

Antonyms parent*, adult*, elder.

with child

pregnant, bearing a child, carrying a child, going to have a baby; see pregnant 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.

child Usage Examples

Adjective modifier

  • unborn: Hidden in that last sentence is the ghost -- the words " unborn child.

Modifies a noun

  • poverty: The working families tax credit is key to the government's strategy to tackle low pay and child poverty.

Noun used with modifier

  • pre-school: There are groups for babies, toddlers and pre-school children.

Preposition: of

  • age: With all the main cast reprising their roles, this is a hoot for children of all ages.

Preposition: with

  • disability: The DSE Mini Games gives children with disabilities the opportunity to participate in sporting activities.
child 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.

child quotes

He had a fear of the dead, and of all inanimate things, rising up around himto claim him; it isthe fearof thepre- eminently solitary child and solitary man.

-Ackroyd, Peter

Once in royal David's city Stood a lowly cattle-shed, Where a mother laid her baby In a manger for his bed. Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.

-Alexander, Cecil Frances

Russian communism isthe illegitimate child of Karl Marx and Catherine the Great.

-1st Earl

child 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

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

  • Your Dictionary. 3 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/child>

APA Style

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

  • Retrieved July 3rd, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/child

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