child
285
2.8
- noun
- /tʃaɪld/
- Offensive
- Despite being an adult, she approached the situation with the naivety of a child.
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Watch on YouTubeBut like any spoiled child, he does not know when to quit.
- But like any spoiled child, he does not know when to quit.
- You know, I have, I've got a child for a husband.
- And in that moment, split second child brain, I froze.
Examples
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However, because they were led by a child, the request was denied.
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Listen in my head, just like a child, I live in Wonderland.
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And when I got too tired, much like a child, I decided to rest.
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If I do, I take both hands and I drink like a child, right?
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adults think that you are a child, but you know you are not one
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-Your sister treats you like a child.
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And I'd hardly consider you a child.
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"Are you sure you are not just an overgrown child?" Now Charlotte was equally angry.
Fiction book (1990) -
Their characterization as lacking in maturity and intelligence, much like children, resonated with their legal status as minors.
Academic text (2011) -
Her desire had the purity and directness of a child, which made her rudeness almost endearing.
Fiction book (1990)
Synonyms
220
2.8
A person who behaves in a childish way
Antonyms
Idioms
Compounds
- Offensive
122
3.7
Harming children physically, emotionally or sexually, often by an adult who looks after them
93
2.7
Money a parent must pay to the parent who cares for their children after separation to help with living costs
- Offensive
33
7.7
Pictures or videos that show children in sexual activity and are illegal
- Informal
12
4.0
A child or project that often causes trouble and needs extra attention
8
1.3
A child old enough to go to school, usually between five and fifteen years old
- Archaic
6
6.8
A young person, especially in the 1960s, who rejects normal values and supports peace and living simply with others
1
3.4
An organization that protects children and gives help for their safety and development
1
3.2
A group that protects children and gives them social help and job training
1
6.4
A child who comes home from school to an empty house and stays alone until parents return
- Literature
1
9.9
A child in old stories left by fairies to replace a family's real baby
How Mature
Surface Forms
Etymology
Child keeps its original sense of 'young', so when we say someone is a child to mean they are immature, we are saying they behave like a young person; the related word childish makes this clear. So calling someone a child can mean they act in an immature way.