child

noun, often attributive \ ˈchī(-ə)ld \

Definition of child

plural children play \ˈchil-drən, -dərn\

1 a :an unborn or recently born person

b dialect :a female infant

2 a :a young person especially between infancy and youth

a play for both children and adults

b :a childlike or childish person

He is a child in most business matters.

c :a person not yet of age

Under the law she is still a child.

3 usually childe play \ˈchī(-ə)ld\ , archaic :a youth of noble birth

4 a :a son or daughter of human parents

Do you have any children?

b :descendant

the children of Israel

5 :one strongly influenced by another or by a place or state of affairs

a child of the streets

a child of nature

America has been called "the first child of the Enlightenment"

6 :product, result

barbed wire … is truly a child of the plains
—W. P. Webb

—

childless

play \ˈchī(-ə)l(d)-ləs\ adjective

—

childlessness

noun

— with child

:pregnant

See child defined for English-language learners

See child defined for kids

Examples of child in a Sentence

the birth of a child
She's pregnant with their first child.
a play for both children and adults
All of their children are grown now.
an elderly couple and their adult children
Men are such children sometimes.

Recent Examples of child from the Web

On the worst days, Natalie Sua keeps her six children inside their Fresno home, especially two sons with asthma.

— scott smith, The Seattle Times, "California farm region plagued by dirty air looks to Trump," 20 July 2017
The children got high quality health care and Christian teaching, too.

— kristina goetz, The Courier-Journal, "Orphans come back to ‘The Home’ that took them in when no one else could," 20 July 2017
Lopez noted trail users would include children who live in the apartments and attend the elementary school.

— david anderson, The Aegis, "Wary of low income housing, neighbors express opposition to Rock Spring retail, apartment complex," 20 July 2017
People have all manner of medical appointments all the time or child care.

— casey quinlan, Glamour, "Mental Health Matters, But Millennial Women Are Still Afraid to Speak Up," 20 July 2017
The vessel transported children to safer locations around the country, and was then charged with surveilling the rivers around London and the Straits of Dover for mines.

— lorraine boissoneault, Smithsonian, "The True Story of Dunkirk, As Told Through the Heroism of the “Medway Queen”," 19 July 2017
With younger children, spot check their text messages.

— carmen gonzalez caldwell, miamiherald, "Know the signs: Girls at much higher risk for cyberbullying than boys," 19 July 2017
Ruiz-Gomez’s mother, Lorenza Gomez Rodriguez, 41, also of Taylors, is charged with aiding and abetting homicide by child abuse, the site reported reported.

— mark price, charlotteobserver, "SC teen accused of giving birth in restroom at work, throwing baby in trash," 19 July 2017
Parents filled and loaded bags, while small children tied them up.

— robert mccoppin, McHenry County, "Local DJ credited with rallying volunteers to fill sandbags, fight floods," 19 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'child.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Is the word kid slang?

Some people worry that kid, when used of a child rather than a juvenile goat, is either slang or too colloquial to merit acceptance in standard English.

The fact is that we have been using kid to refer to a child that is human, rather than goatish, for more than three hundred years now. The Oxford English Dictionary notes that although this word was considered “low slang” when it first began being used, it had entered “familiar speech” by the 19th century.

In contemporary English, kid is neither slang nor improper. It is, however, most definitely informal, so those writing professionally or in a formal register might prefer to use child.

Origin and Etymology of child

Middle English, from Old English cild; akin to Goth kilthei womb, and perhaps to Sanskrit jaṭhara belly

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

child Synonyms

Synonyms

bairn [chiefly Scottish], bambino, bud, chap [Southern & Midland], chick, cub, juvenile, kid, kiddie (also kiddy), kiddo, moppet, sprat, sprout, squirt, whelp, youngling, youngster, youth

Antonyms

adult, grown-up

Related Words

adolescent, minor; kindergartner (also kindergartener), preschooler, rug rat [slang], schoolboy, schoolchild, schoolgirl, schoolkid; babe, baby, bantling, infant, neonate, nestling, newborn, toddler, tot, tyke (also tike), weanling; brat, devil, hellion, imp, jackanapes, mischief, monkey, rapscallion, rascal, rogue, urchin, whippersnapper; cherub; preteen, preteen-ager, subteen, teen, teenager, teener, teenybopper, tween; lad, nipper, shaver, stripling, tad; bobby-soxer, hoyden, tomboy

Near Antonyms

middle-ager; ancient, elder, golden-ager, oldster, old-timer, senior, senior citizen

Child

biographical name \ ˈchī(-ə)ld \

Definition of Child

Francis James 1825–1896 American ballad editor

Child

biographical name

Definition of Child

Julia (Carolyn) 1912–2004 née McWilliams American chef

CHILD Defined for English Language Learners

child

noun

Definition of child for English Language Learners

: a young person
: a son or daughter
: an adult who acts like a child : a childlike or childish person

CHILD Defined for Kids

child

noun \ ˈchīld \

Definition of child for Students

plural children \ˈchil-drən\

1 :an unborn or recently born person

2 :a young person of either sex between infancy and youth

3 :a son or daughter of any age

My children are grown now.

Medical Dictionary

child

noun \ ˈchī(ə)ld \

medical Definition of child

plural children play \ˈchil-drən, -dərn\

1 :an unborn or recently born person

2 :a young person especially between infancy and youth

— with child

:pregnant

Law Dictionary

child

noun

legal Definition of child

plural children

1 :a son or daughter of any age and usually including one formally adopted — compare issue

Note: The word child as used in a statute or will is often held to include a stepchild, an illegitimate child, a person for whom one stands in loco parentis, or sometimes a more remote descendant, such as a grandchild. In interpreting the word child as used in a will, the court will try to effectuate the intent of the person who made the will as it can be determined from the language of the will.

2 :a person below an age specified by law :infant, minor