Adult
/əˈdʌlt/noun
A person who is fully grown or developed, typically over the age of 18.
Did you know?The term 'adult' comes from a Latin word meaning 'to grow' and has long been associated with rites of passage and societal expectations of maturity.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*adul
“to grow, to nourish”
Latin
Latin
adultus
“grown up, mature, nourished”
Old French
Old French
adulte
“grown up, mature”
14th Century
Middle English
adulte
“of full age, mature”
Modern English
English
adult
“a person who is fully grown or developed”