[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/adult/)

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# adult

noun (adult, adults); adjective (adult)

«adult» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. An adult is a grown-up person, not a child. In many countries you are an adult from 18 years old. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/#m1)
2. An adult animal or plant is one that is fully grown. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/#m2)
3. Adult means for grown-ups, or acting in a sensible grown-up way. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/#m3)
4. (casual) «Grown-up», «big people» (to small children) and «oldies» are everyday words for adults; «adulting» (slang) means doing boring grown-up jobs like paying bills. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/#m4)
5. (euphemism) «Adult content» or «for adults only» means not for children; a pupil should leave it and tell a trusted adult. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/#m5)
6. (formal) «Person of full age», «a person aged 18 or over», «guardian» and «responsible adult» are stiff official words. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/#m6)

### In the lessons

people counted apart from children; adult tickets cost more; in everyday life and safety: ask a trusted adult for help, an adult must be with you near water or roads; in science: a tadpole grows into an adult frog, a life cycle ends in an adult that lays eggs; in casual talk: «grown-ups», «adulting»; in the exam voice: «persons aged 18 years or over», «accompanied by a responsible adult»; phrases: «a trusted adult», «adult ticket», «young adult», «adults only»

### Examples

- An adult ticket costs $10 and a child ticket $5. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/#x1)
- 12 adults and 20 children came. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/#x2)
- How much did 3 adult tickets cost? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/#x3)
- Each group has 1 adult. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/#x4)
- If you feel unsafe, tell a trusted adult. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/#x5)
- An adult must be with you at the swimming pool. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/#x6)
- The caterpillar becomes an adult butterfly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/#x7)
- She was very adult about losing the game. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/#x8)
- 2 grown-ups + 3 kids, adults are 10 bucks, kids 5, how much (casual) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/#x9)
- ugh, adulting is hard, paid 3 bills today (casual, slang) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/#x10)
- Act like an adult for once, you're 14, not 4. (rough) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/#x11)
- Persons aged 18 years or over are charged 10 dollars; compute the total charge for 3 such persons and 4 minors at 5 dollars. (formal exam) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/#x12)
- “There were several adults to-day,” he assured her with a faint flush; but when she tossed her head he had not a word of reproof for her. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/#x13)

### Note

Two prices: adults × adult price + children × child price. «An adult» (an before a vowel). Opposite: child, young; formal «minor» = a child under 18. Safety: a trusted adult is someone like a parent, teacher or carer; an adult who asks you to keep a secret from your parents is not safe. Trap: «adult» in science means fully grown, not 18 years old. Formal «persons aged 18 or over» = adults.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «adult» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/adult/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«adult» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/adult.html) on Mova free.