man child

plural man children · plural men children

1. derogatoryinformalAn adult male who is childish or immature.

   In the end, Brown said he just couldn't stand another day of trying to run a team with two sets of rules — one for 11 players and the other for the man-child superstar.

   2004, Glen Macnow, Angelo Cataldi, The Great Philadelphia Sports Debate, Middle Atlantic Press, published 2004, →ISBN, page 161

   Synonyms: manbaby, manboy, baby boy · Antonyms: macho man, machoman, alpha male

2. archaicA young male human; a boy.

   Bring forth Men-Children onely: / For thy vndaunted Mettle ſhould compoſe / Nothing but Males.

   c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene vii], page 135, column 2

   2 more examples

   Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Leviticus 12:2

   "She is dead," he announced, very gravely and simply. The hunchback shivered. Captain Runacles neither spoke nor stirred in his chair. "A man-child was born at two o'clock. He is alive: his mother died two hours later."

   1891, Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, The Blue Pavilions

   Synonyms: baby boy, bhoy, boy, boykin, boyo, callant, chav, feely-omi · Antonyms: girlchild, baby girl, woman child, womanchild, woman-child