adultoid

plural adultoids

1. biologyA premature adult form of an insect.

   An adultoid is a mature alate that remains in the colony, sheds its wings and becomes a functional reproductive.

   2002, V. M. Uys, A guide to the termite genera of Southern Africa, page 6

2. human sciencesAn adolescent who engages in activities that symbolize adult status.

   Greenberger and Steinberg coined the term “adultoid” to describe adolescents who engage in activities, often “risky” activities, that symbolize adult status (e.g., smoking, drinking, staying out late, having sex).

   2005, Francis J. Turner, Social Work Diagnosis in Contemporary Practice, page 29

   2 more examples

   This link between an older subjective age and engagement in problem behaviors supports the existence of adultoid or pseudomature adolescents who have been described in theoretical literature, but until recently, remained unidentified empirically.

   2011, Margaret Kerr, Understanding Girls' Problem Behavior

   Personal conversations I had with teachers/counsellors in different high schools responsible for overseeing RAP certainly indicated that, at least initially, students' confidence about their newly discovered sense of maturity was closer to pseudomaturity or adultoid behaviour.

   2014, Wolfgana Lehmann, Choosing to Labour?: School-Work Transitions and Social Class