adult
adult
I
/əˈdʌlt, ˈæˌdʌlt/ noun , pl adults [ count ]
: a fully grown person or animal
Her books appeal both to children and to adults.
Children must be accompanied by an adult in the museum.
Only adults can purchase alcohol.
This film is for adults only. Minors are not admitted.
People who are close friends as children aren't always friends as adults.
studying interactions between young birds and adults
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II
adj , always used before a noun except in sense 2
1 : fully grown and developed
an adult student/learner
adult birds
I've worked here all of my adult life. [=I've worked here since I became an adult]
preparing children for adult life
2 [more ~; most ~] : mature and sensible : not childish
We need to approach this in an adult way.
an adult decision/choice/responsibility
3 : of or intended for adults
adult literacy
adult learning
4 : dealing with sexual material
adult bookstores/movies
adult·hood /əˈdʌltˌhʊd/ noun , pl -hoods [ noncount ]
preparing children for adulthood
[ count ]
preparing children for their adulthoods
