child

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

|Updated on: 4 Aug 2018

Examples: child in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Is the word kid slang?

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

Following the birth of her first child, daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., Williams endured a series of complications that lead to an absence year from the field.

— christian allaire, Vogue, "Angelique Kerber Defeats Serena Williams at Wimbledon Women’s Final," 14 July 2018
On Thursday, the toy company held a promotion called Pay Your Age Day, where customers could purchase a plush toy for a price equal to their child's age.

— brett molina, USA TODAY, "Build-a-Bear blunder: Other company promotions that epically failed," 13 July 2018
Eric De Sousa of So Flo Coaching, who coaches these clinics along with his colleague Neil McKay, feels these clinics mean everything for the children's growth in the sport.

— sergio carmona, Jewish Journal, "Soccer clinics at area JCC focus on skills, sportsmanship," 13 July 2018
Parents stood in line up to six hours to get a plush toy for the cost of their child's age.

— sonja haller, ajc, "How to get your $15 voucher after the failed Pay Your Age event at Build-a-Bear," 13 July 2018
In addition, there will be live Tamburitza bands, dancing and a children’s folklore dance group at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

— staff report, Post-Tribune, "Community news," 13 July 2018
Though the two broke up in 2015, Garner and Affleck actively co-parent their three children Samuel, Violet, and Seraphina.

— refinery29.com, "Jennifer Garner Claims Tabloids Created "Trouble" In Her Marriage To Ben Affleck," 13 July 2018
The latter is a project the North San Diego club does with the Poway club to help women and their children who are fleeing a domestic violence situation rebuild their lives.

— elizabeth marie himchak, Pomerado News, "Ginny Brown is leading North San Diego Soroptimists," 13 July 2018
Netflix have commissioned a series adaptation of Tonke Dragt’s Dutch children's classic The Letter for the King.

— scott roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, "Netflix to Adapt Dutch Kids Book 'The Letter for the King' as Original Series," 12 July 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.

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

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

child Synonyms

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