adulthood

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the period of life after a person has reached physical and legal maturity

   The first responsibilities of adulthood still seemed far away to the children.

2. 2
   noun

   the state of being fully grown or mature

   The bird's plumage changes when it reaches adulthood.

A compound of adult and the state-forming suffix -hood. Adult comes from Latin adultus, 'grown up,' the past participle of adolescere, 'to grow up.' Adulthood therefore shares its deeper history with adolescence.

Topics

External links

• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary
• Google Images