adult

plural adults

1. An animal that is full-grown.

   The young not only differs from the adult by the presence of its gills, but its feet are only developed by degrees, and in several genera there are also a deciduous beak and tail, and intestines of a different form

   1840, Georges Cuvier, Edward Blyth, Robert Mudie, George Johnston, J.O. Westwood, “The fourth order of reptiles—The batrachians”, in Cuvier's Animal Kingdom, page 286

   Synonyms: grown up

2. A person who has reached the legal age of majority.

comparative more adult · superlative most adult

1. Fully grown.

   an adult human, animal, or plant

   1 more example

   The paws of the adult brown bear, and also their hams, especially when smoked, are considered a great delicacy.

   1837, Michael Donovan, Domestic Economy: Human Food, Animal and Vegetable, page 86

   Synonyms: big

2. Intended for or restricted to adults rather than children due to size, maturity, knowledge level, judgement, etc.

   adult clothes; adult cereal; an adult documentary

   1 more example

   In May 1967 the WGBH Education Division submitted an initial proposal to HUD for a series of four adult television documentaries on conservation in an urban environment.

   1973, Marshall Kaplan, Gans, and Kahn, Children and the urban environment (page 21)

   1. Containing situations or discussions intended primarily for adults, such as serious crime, illicit drug use, extramarital affairs, etc.

      adult situations; adult discussions

      Synonyms: grown up

   2. Containing alcohol, intended for consumption only by adults.

      an adult drink; an adult root beer float

   3. usuallygummyContaining marijuana, intended for consumption only by adults.

      an adult cookie; adult gummy worms

   4. Containing material of an explicit sexual nature; pornographic.

      an adult movie

      1 more example

      This program contains adult content. Parental discretion is advised.

      Synonyms: pornographic

   5. Containing excessive vulgar or profane speech, text or images, intended only for adults.

      adult language; an adult cartoon

   6. Intended for, or restricted to, those who are not young children.

      an adult menu; an adult fare

      4 more examples

      Children go free, but for those 12 and up, you must purchase an adult ticket.

      The Storehouse is open daily from 09:30 to 17:00, except for during July and August when it stays open until 19:00. Adult admission is €14, children under 12 pay €5, and children under 6 go free. You get a 10% discount if you book online.

      2007, Dublin, Explorer Publishing & Distribution, →ISBN, page 200

      At the far end of the table and almost immediately opposite her father sat Colophon. Next to her sat her cousin Jules, who had turned twelve the preceding year and was therefore enjoying his second year at the adult table.

      2012, Deron R. Hicks, Secrets of Shakespeare's Grave, Houghton Mifflin, →ISBN, page 32

      A few days later, we had finished a day of sunbathing and oscillating between the kiddie pool and the adult pool, always settling for the latter after one too many baby Hamoudies had taken a shit in the pool.

      2020, Kamelya Omayma Youssef, “Frayed Towel Made Holy: Prayer [Rug] for This Nonbeliever”, in Khaled Mattawa, Pauline Kaldas, editor, Beyond Memory: An Anthology of Contemporary Arab American Creative Nonfiction, University of Arkansas Press, →ISBN, page 248

present singular third person adults · participle present adulting · participle past adulted · past adulted

1. intransitiveslangTo behave like an adult.

   Adulting is hard!

2. intransitivenonstandardrareTo (cause to) be or become an adult.

   Womanhood was achieved at twenty-one, when the female was "adulted"; manhood was fully achieved at twenty-five, […]

   1974, Occasional Papers, numbers 42-46, Syracuse University, page 5

   1 more example

   The process of adulting children[…] overlaps with the process of the uncontrolled infiltration of the media[…] into children’s imagination.

   2013, Ewa Rewers, The Contradictions of Urban Art, →ISBN, page 84