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child

noun, often attributive
\ ˈchī(-ə)ld \
plural children\ ˈchil-​drən , -​dərn \

Definition of child 

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : an unborn or recently born person
b dialect : a female infant
2a : 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 \ ˈchī(-​ə)ld \, archaic : a youth of noble birth
4a : 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
with child
: pregnant

Child

biographical name (1)
\ ˈchī(-ə)ld \

Definition of Child (Entry 2 of 3)

Francis James 1825–1896 American ballad editor

Child

biographical name (2)

Definition of Child (Entry 3 of 3)

Julia (Carolyn) 1912–2004 née McWilliams American chef
Other Words from child Synonyms & Antonyms Is the word kid slang? More Example Sentences Learn More about child

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Other Words from child

Noun

childless \ ˈchī(-​ə)l(d)-​ləs \ adjective
childlessness noun

Synonyms & Antonyms for child

Synonyms: Noun

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: Noun

adult, grown-up

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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.

Examples of child in a Sentence

Noun

 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.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

 Immigrants and children of immigrants were thus encouraged to loosen, if not sever, ties to their ancestral homelands in the interest of promoting a supposedly more unified United States. — John Check, WSJ, "‘Making Music American’ Review: Turning Swords Into Saxophones," 28 Dec. 2018 Princess Victoria, the eldest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and heir to the throne, dug into the royal archives for her look. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "These Swedish Princesses Showed Off Epic Royal Style at the Nobel Prize Ceremony," 10 Dec. 2018 Just a few months after the accident, Stephanie and her husband, Joe, founded the Stephanie Decker Foundation, which sends children with prosthetics to sports camps. — Shelley Levitt, Woman's Day, "These 4 Inspirational Women Went to Great Lengths for Their Kids," 4 Dec. 2018 But locals know that Philadelphia offers a range of activities for children of all ages. — Megan Barber, Curbed, "The best things to do with kids in 13 U.S. cities," 20 Nov. 2018 The middle child of the three sisters, Mel is an activist, teacher's assistant, and a graduate student studying Women's Studies at Hilltowne University. — Tamara Fuentes, Seventeen, "Meet the Cast of "Charmed" and Their Characters," 13 Nov. 2018 To a child of six, there’s no difference between a 1998 black Buick Le Sabre and a 2018 matte-black McLaren—or at least not much. — Ross Mccammon, Popular Mechanics, "Atari Super Challenge Football Is Still a Fantastic Game," 9 Nov. 2018 So, for example, donations made by a non-wage-earning child of an Amazon employee would be included in Amazon’s total. — Rani Molla, Recode, "Tech employees are much more liberal than their employers — at least as far as the candidates they support," 31 Oct. 2018 Shams can be easily removed and washed normally, perfect for people with children or pets, or for those who prefer to clean pillowcases in the washing machine. — Lucia Tonelli, ELLE Decor, "The Ultimate Bedding Guide: What is a Sham?," 31 Oct. 2018

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.

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First Known Use of child

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for child

Noun

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

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Statistics for child

Last Updated

6 Jan 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for child

The first known use of child was before the 12th century

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More Definitions for child

child

noun

English Language Learners Definition of child

: a young person

: a son or daughter

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

See the full definition for child in the English Language Learners Dictionary

child

noun
\ ˈchīld \
plural children\ ˈchil-​drən \

Kids Definition of child

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.

child

noun
\ ˈchī(ə)ld \
plural children\ ˈchil-​drən, -​dərn \

Medical Definition of child 

1 : an unborn or recently born person
2 : a young person especially between infancy and youth
with child
: pregnant

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child

noun
plural children

Legal Definition of child 

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 assault on a child under 16 years of age — compare adult

Note: A person who is below the statutory age but is married will usually be considered an adult.

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More from Merriam-Webster on child

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with child

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for child

Spanish Central: Translation of child

Nglish: Translation of child for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of child for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about child

Comments on child

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