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Glite Dictionary
😜 Childish behavior 🧒 Childhood period
puerility

puerility

9.9
The time when someone is a child before becoming an adult
  • noun
  • /ˌpjʊəˈrɪləti/
  • Literature
translation icon : infancia
  • Many novels explore the transition from puerility to adulthood.

Examples

  • Many parents cherish the moments of puerility when their children exhibit pure wonder.

  • The novel beautifully depicts the innocence and joy of puerility during childhood.

  • Some critics argued that the comedy relied too much on jokes rooted in puerility.

  • The puerility of his behavior surprised everyone at the meeting.

  • The puerility of his arguments was evident during the debate.

  • She showed great puerility when she threw a tantrum.

  • Her puerility showed when she insisted on playing games instead of doing homework.

Synonyms

childhood
vspuerility
687 1.0

The time in life when someone is a child before becoming a teenager

emphasizes the condition or state of being young rather than just the time

Antonyms

maturity
101 3.3

A state of being fully grown in body, mind, or feelings

adulthood
61 3.1

The time in life when a person is fully grown and has more responsibilities

How Young

infancy
35 3.7
puerility
  • Literature
9.9
adolescence
60 3.9
adulthood
61 3.1

Surface Forms

puerility singular
puerilities plural

Morphology

puerility = puerile (semi-transparent) = puerile + ity

Formed by adding the noun-forming suffix '-ity' to 'puerile'; the derivation is regular but 'puerile' and the underlying Latin root are relatively unfamiliar, reducing immediate transparency for learners.

Etymology

The word puerility comes from the Latin root puer meaning 'boy', so you can think of it as the state of being a child. That is why puerility can also mean the period of childhood or being childlike.