adult

n. a person who is fully grown or has reached the legal age to be responsible for themselves.

n. a human being who has reached the legal age of majority or is physically and mentally mature.

“The museum ticket is ten dollars for an adult and five dollars for a child.”

“In many jurisdictions, a person is legally considered an adult at eighteen, granting them the right to vote and enter into binding contracts.”

n. an animal or plant that is fully grown and can produce young.

n. an organism that has reached its final stage of development and is capable of reproduction.

“The adult butterfly looks very different from the caterpillar it used to be.”

“The researchers monitored the migration patterns of adult salmon as they returned to their natal streams to spawn.”

Technical

adj. having reached full size or maturity.

adj. having attained full physical growth or development.

“An adult male elephant can weigh over six thousand kilograms.”

“The sanctuary provides a safe environment for adult tigers that were rescued from illegal private collections.”

adj. meant only for adults, often because it contains violence or sexual content.

adj. intended for or restricted to adults, typically due to mature themes, sexual content, or graphic violence.

“The movie was rated R, meaning it was for an adult audience only.”

“The bookstore has a separate section for adult fiction that explores complex political and social themes unsuitable for younger readers.”

v. to do the boring but necessary things that grown-ups have to do, like paying bills.

v. to behave in a manner characteristic of a responsible adult, especially by performing mundane or difficult tasks.

“I am not ready to adult today; I just want to stay in bed.”

“After a long week of adulting—paying taxes, fixing the car, and grocery shopping—she spent the entire Sunday playing video games.”

Informal · Slang