child
noun (countable)
UK/tʃaɪld/US/tʃaɪld/
A young person, typically one who is not yet an adult; a son or daughter of any age, though usually referring to a person in their early years.
Example Sentences
The child carefully balanced on the stepping stones across the creek.
As a child, she spent countless afternoons reading storybooks in her treehouse.
Each child in the class painted a picture for the school’s art exhibition.
He is the only child in his family and enjoys the full attention of his parents.
Many parents worry about the environment where their child grows up, focusing on both safety and education.
When the child’s laughter echoed in the playground, everyone nearby couldn’t help but smile.
She recalled her memories as a child, describing in vivid detail how she would roam freely in her grandparents’ orchard, where the sweet smell of ripe fruit and the rustle of leaves fueled her active imagination every summer.
In a modern classroom, teachers strive to cater to each child’s unique learning style, incorporating hands-on activities, group projects, and digital tools to foster curiosity and creativity.
Thesaurus
Synonyms
Antonyms
How to Use
A young person typically under the legal age of adulthood.In everyday usage, this noun describes a person from infancy through the teenage years—though specific cultural or legal contexts might define the upper limit differently. As a term, it underscores dependence, growth, and development. You might say, “They have one child in kindergarten,” or “He’s a bright child who loves reading.” It can also denote a son or daughter in relation to their parents, highlighting familial connections—“My child is away at summer camp.” Additionally, the word appears in compound or related phrases, such as “childhood” (the period of being a child), “childlike” (possessing qualities of innocence or wonder), and “childish” (denoting immature behavior). In official or professional settings—like medical, educational, or legal contexts—it informs discussions about pediatric care, early learning milestones, custody, and guardianship. When employing this term, consider both the emotional resonance and factual precision: discussing a child’s developmental stage signals certain rights, responsibilities, and protections, reflecting a collective social responsibility to nurture young people. Whether referencing personal anecdotes, policy, or research, “child” conveys not just age but also the formative stages of human life, underscoring vulnerability, promise, and the need for supportive guidance.
Alternatives
Alternative words and expressions often revolve around age and relationship. If you’re speaking about an individual’s role in a family, “son” or “daughter” pinpoints a direct parent-child bond. “Minor” is more formal, underscoring legal status under adulthood—often used in contexts like contracts or legal matters. Terms like “kid” or “youngster” are casual or colloquial, suitable for everyday conversation. “Youth” can emphasize a broader category that includes adolescents or teenagers, while “toddler,” “infant,” and “teen” specify narrower developmental phases. In professional or medical contexts, “pediatric patient” might highlight a child’s status in a healthcare setting. Depending on nuance, you may choose “offspring,” typically reserved for biology or formal narratives, or “juvenile,” often employed in legal or psychological discourse when discussing minors and their rights or responsibilities. Varying these terms helps match the level of formality and the exact stage or setting you wish to emphasize. By selecting the right word, you convey both the familial and developmental context, ensuring clarity whether you’re chatting at home, writing an academic paper, or consulting a legal document.
Writing
When writing about this concept, context guides what you emphasize—development, family structure, or societal roles. In narratives, focusing on a child’s perspective allows you to capture wonder, vulnerability, and growth, often adding emotional depth to your story. For instance, describing a child’s discovery process underscores innocence and curiosity: “The child peered under the table, convinced treasures lay hidden.” In persuasive or academic writing, you might highlight issues of child welfare, education, or psychology, relying on evidence or case studies to demonstrate how early experiences affect long-term outcomes. If you’re exploring policies, explaining how laws protect children or foster their development adds clarity and underscores ethical considerations. Meanwhile, in historical or sociological texts, referencing changes in child labor, education, or rights can illustrate broader societal evolution. Clarity is key—define age ranges if necessary, especially if you’re analyzing data or legal statutes where distinctions like “child,” “adolescent,” or “minor” matter. Also, consider the lens you choose: an empathetic portrayal of an individual child’s challenges or an overarching statistical approach to child development both have places in strong writing. Strategically weaving in anecdotes, research findings, and personal reflections brings your narrative or argument to life, ensuring “child” resonates as a powerful marker of growth, innocence, and potential within the broader human experience.
Casual Conversation
In everyday conversation, people use this term to denote any young person or to emphasize a parent-child relationship. You might hear friends say, “I can’t believe how fast her child is growing,” or “We’re thinking about having another child soon.” When asking about family news, you could phrase it as, “How many children do they have?” for a general inquiry. If you’re swapping stories with peers about family life, child-focused anecdotes might pop up—like a funny mispronunciation or a milestone, such as a first step or first day at school. Parents often speak casually about their frustrations or joys: “My child just started soccer and loves it!” Using the word in day-to-day chats conveys warmth and familiarity, centering on experiences of caring for or interacting with a young person. At times, people say “He’s acting like a child” to tease someone who’s being overly dramatic or immature, though the tone can shift from playful to critical depending on context. Overall, it’s an easy, universally understood term for referencing the early, developmentally rich stage of a person’s life and forging a connection around shared experiences of growth, nurture, and occasional chaos that children can bring into adults’ lives.
Etymology
Originating from Old English “cild,” which generally referred to infants or the unborn, this word has traveled through centuries almost intact in form, attesting to how central the notion of youth and dependency is in human societies. Its cognates appear across Germanic languages, reflecting how early European tribes recognized distinct rites of passage from infancy to adulthood. Over time, English speakers refined the meaning to capture not only infancy but also the broader journey of development until an individual becomes a legal or social adult. Medieval and Renaissance contexts often viewed children as smaller versions of adults who needed guidance, whereas modern psychology and pedagogy highlight distinct stages requiring specialized care and education. As the concept of childhood evolved, with societies increasingly emphasizing schooling and moral upbringing, the word “child” retained its fundamental core: describing someone who depends on adults for basic needs, protection, and socialization. Despite shifting family structures and cultural expectations, the enduring usage underlines that childhood—whether peaceful, challenging, or somewhere in between—remains a defining, formative period in human life.
