English Reference
Adjective

childless

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈtʃaɪɫdɫəs/ UK /tʃˈaɪldləs/ child·less

adj.having no children. You use this to describe a person or a couple who does not have any kids.

adj.having no children. Often used in demographic or sociological contexts to describe individuals or couples without offspring.


SIMPLE

The couple is childless by choice.

CONTEXTUAL

Many modern professionals remain childless to focus on their careers and personal travel goals.

COMPLEX

The study examined how childless households in urban areas allocate their disposable income compared to families with multiple dependents.

Usage

Typically used as a predicative adjective after 'be' or 'remain', or as an attributive adjective before a noun.


From Middle English childles; equivalent to child + -less.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Middle English childles
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated