Child
/tʃaɪld/
nounBeginnerVery CommonLegal
Idiom
Meaning
Question
Definitions
1
A young person, typically one who is not yet an adult.
/tʃaɪld/
nounneutralBeginner
Legal
A young human being below the age of puberty or legal majority.
The child laughed happily.
💡 Simply: A child is a young person, like a little kid. They're still learning and growing, just like a tiny tree growing taller.
👶 For kids: A little boy or girl.
More Examples
2
My neighbor's child is very bright.
How It's Used
General
"The child was playing in the park."
Legal
"The law protects the rights of the child."
Idioms & expressions
child's play
Something very easy to do.
"This math problem is child's play for her."
From Old English *cild, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kind and German Kind.
The word 'child' has been used in essentially the same way for centuries, referring to young people.
Memory tip
Think of 'child' as someone who is still developing, like a tender plant.
Practice
chiledchield
Usage
70%Spoken
30%Written