Word
children
Phoneticschil·dren, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈtʃɪɫdɹən/
UK/tʃˈɪldɹən/
Definitions
01young people
A1 · Beginner Plural noun
n. more than one young person who is not yet an adult.
n. the plural form of child, denoting multiple young human beings before the age of puberty.
“The children were playing happily in the park after school.”
“The local library offers a variety of reading programmes designed to engage children of all ages during the summer holidays.”
Pitfall
The childrens are playing in the garden.
The children are playing in the garden.
Children is already plural. Do not add an 's' to the end of the word.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02sons and daughters
A2 · Elementary Plural noun
n. your sons or daughters, even if they are now adults.
n. offspring of any age in relation to their parents.
“They have three grown children who all live in different cities.”
“Even though her children are now successful professionals with families of their own, she still worries about them constantly.”
Usage
Often used with a possessive pronoun like 'their' or 'my'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “children” in context.
Etymology
From Middle English children, alteration of earlier childre ("children"; > English dialectal childer), from Old English ċildru, ċildra (“children”), nominative and accusative plural of ċild (“child”), equivalent to child + -ren.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A1 · Beginner
- Updated
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