child

 
Pronunciation: /tʃʌɪld/

noun (plural children /ˈtʃɪldr(ə)n/)

  • a young human being below the age of puberty or below the legal age of majority: she’d been playing tennis since she was a child the film is not suitable for children
  • a son or daughter of any age: when children leave home, parents can feel somewhat redundant
  • an immature or irresponsible person: she’s such a child!
  • a person who has little or no experience in a particular area: he’s a child in financial matters
  • (children) archaic the descendants of a family or people: the children of Abraham
  • (child of) a person regarded as the product of (a specified influence or environment): a child of the Sixties

Phrases

child's play

a task which is easily accomplished: tapping telephones is child’s play

from a child

since childhood: from a child she had taken ballet lessons

with child

archaic pregnant.

Derivatives

childless

adjective

childlessness

noun

Origin:

Old English cild, of Germanic origin. The Middle English plural childer or childre became childeren or children by association with plurals ending in -en, such as brethren