Children — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun phrase adjective /ˈchī(-ə)ld/ (noun) /ˈfȯ-stər/ (adjective)

Meaning & Definition of Children

Children (noun)

  1. a young person especially between infancy and puberty
  2. a person not yet of the age of majority
  3. a childlike or childish person
  4. an uncommon, sometimes life-threatening, inflammatory condition that chiefly affects children and adolescents and usually develops two to four weeks following infection with or exposure to the coronavirus causing COVID-19 —abbreviation MIS-C—called also pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome, PMIS
  5. a child that dies in its first month
  6. a hippie who advocates love, beauty, and peace
  7. a school-aged child of working parents who must spend part of the day unsupervised (as at home) —called also latchkey kid
  8. a child whose parents were not married when the child was conceived; especially, the child of an affair —often used figuratively
  9. something (such as a project or collaboration) that is a product of hard work and devotion

Children (phrase)

  1. —used to say that children should be quiet and well-behaved
  2. to prepare children to go to sleep and put them in their beds
  3. —used to say that children often suffer for the bad things their parents do

Children (adjective)

  1. having, relating to, or being the relationship between a foster parent and the child who the foster parent cares for
  2. being, relating to, or involved in a situation in which temporary care is given to an animal (such as one that is injured or awaiting adoption) in a household or similar setting

Children (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a young person who is between infancy and adulthood

    "an imaginative animated film that appeals to adults as well as to children"

    similar: bairns (chiefly Scottish), bambinos, buds, chaps (Southern & Midland), chicks, cubs, juveniles, kiddies, kiddos, kids, moppets, sprats, sprouts, squirts, whelps, younglings, youngsters, youths
    related: adolescents, minors, kindergartners, preschoolers, rug rats (slang), schoolboys, schoolchildren, schoolgirls, schoolkids, babes, babies, bantlings, infants, neonates, nestlings, newborn, toddlers, tots, tykes, weanlings, devils, hellions, imps, jackanapeses, mischiefs, monkeys, rapscallions, rascals, rogues, urchins, whippersnappers, cherubs, preteen-agers, preteens, subteens, teenagers, teeners, teens, teenyboppers, tweens, lads, nippers, shavers, striplings, tads, bobby-soxers, hoydens, tomboys
    opposite: adults, grown-ups
    near: middle-agers, ancients, elders, golden-agers, oldsters, old-timers, senior citizens, seniors

  2. a recently born person

    "wrapped the child in a blanket before taking him outside in the cold"

    similar: babes, babies, bambinos, infants, neonates, newborn
    related: cherubs, foundlings, nurslings, sucklings, preemies, bantlings, kiddies, kiddos, kids, moppets, toddlers, tots, tykes, boys, nippers, tads, juveniles, minors, younglings, youngsters, youths, imps, squirts, urchins, whippersnappers, girls, hoydens, tomboys
    near: adults, grown-ups, elders, graybeards, oldsters, old-timers, senior citizens, seniors

  3. a condition or occurrence traceable to a cause

    "widespread stress is the child of the frenetic pace of the modern world"

    similar: aftereffects, aftermaths, backwashes, conclusions, consequences, corollaries, developments, effects, fates, fruits, issues, outcomes, outgrowths, precipitates, products, resultants, results, sequels, sequences, upshots, matters of course
    related: ramifications, denouements, echoes, implications, repercussions, afterclaps, afterglows, aftershocks, blowbacks, by-products, fallouts, offshoots, ripples, side effects, spin-offs
    opposite: antecedents, causations, causes, occasions, reasons
    near: considerations, determinants, factors, bases, foundations, grounds, groundworks, impetuses, incentives, inspirations, instigations, stimuli, mothers, origins, roots, sources, springs

Related Entry: Child (noun)

Child is a different word from Children. The synonyms below are for child, not for children.

  1. a young person who is between infancy and adulthood

    "an imaginative animated film that appeals to adults as well as to children"

    similar: bairn (chiefly Scottish), bambino, bud, chap (Southern & Midland), chick, cub, juvenile, kid, kiddie, kiddo, moppet, sprat, sprout, squirt, whelp, youngling, youngster, youth
    related: adolescent, minor, kindergartner, preschooler, rug rat (slang), schoolboy, schoolchild, schoolgirl, schoolkid, babe, baby, bantling, infant, neonate, nestling, newborn, toddler, tot, tyke, weanling, devil, hellion, imp, jackanapes, mischief, monkey, rapscallion, rascal, rogue, urchin, whippersnapper, cherub, preteen, preteen-ager, subteen, teen, teenager, teener, teenybopper, tween, lad, nipper, shaver, stripling, tad, bobby-soxer, hoyden, tomboy
    opposite: adult, grown-up
    near: middle-ager, ancient, elder, golden-ager, oldster, old-timer, senior, senior citizen

  2. a recently born person

    "wrapped the child in a blanket before taking him outside in the cold"

    similar: babe, baby, bambino, infant, neonate, newborn
    related: cherub, foundling, nursling, suckling, preemie, bantling, kid, kiddie, kiddo, moppet, toddler, tot, tyke, boy, nipper, tad, juvenile, minor, youngling, youngster, youth, imp, squirt, urchin, whippersnapper, girl, hoyden, tomboy
    near: adult, grown-up, elder, graybeard, oldster, old-timer, senior, senior citizen

  3. a condition or occurrence traceable to a cause

    "widespread stress is the child of the frenetic pace of the modern world"

    similar: aftereffect, aftermath, backwash, conclusion, consequence, corollary, development, effect, fate, fruit, issue, outcome, outgrowth, precipitate, product, result, resultant, sequel, sequence, upshot, matter of course
    related: ramification, denouement, echo, implication, repercussion, afterclap, afterglow, aftershock, blowback, by-product, fallout, offshoot, ripple, side effect, spin-off
    opposite: antecedent, causation, cause, occasion, reason
    near: consideration, determinant, factor, base, basis, foundation, ground, groundwork, impetus, incentive, inspiration, instigation, stimulus, mother, origin, root, source, spring

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Children

The most common words with a similar meaning to Children:

Chiefly Scottish: bairns
Southern & Midland: chaps
bambinos, buds, chicks, cubs, juveniles, kiddies, kiddos, kids, moppets, sprats, sprouts, squirts, whelps, younglings, youngsters, youths, babes, babies, infants, neonates, newborn, aftereffects, aftermaths, backwashes, conclusions, consequences, corollaries, developments, effects, fates, fruits, issues, outcomes, outgrowths, precipitates, products, resultants, results, sequels, sequences

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Children

Words with the opposite meaning of Children:

adults, grown-ups, antecedents, causations, causes, occasions, reasons

Related Words for Children

adolescents, minors, kindergartners, preschoolers, rug rats, schoolboys, schoolchildren, schoolgirls, schoolkids, bantlings, nestlings, toddlers, tots, tykes, weanlings, devils, hellions, imps, jackanapeses, mischiefs, monkeys, rapscallions, rascals, rogues, urchins, whippersnappers, cherubs, preteen-agers, preteens, subteens

Near Antonyms of Children

middle-agers, ancients, elders, golden-agers, oldsters, old-timers, senior citizens, seniors, graybeards, considerations, determinants, factors, bases, foundations, grounds, groundworks, impetuses, incentives, inspirations, instigations, stimuli, mothers, origins, roots, sources, springs

Word Forms of Children

Inflections: love children

Origin & Etymology of Children

Middle English, from Old English cild; akin to Goth kilthei womb, and perhaps to Sanskrit jaṭhara belly

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Children

  • Topics: Family & People

Words & Phrases Containing Children

children should be seen and not heard, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, put the children to bed, the sins of the fathers are visited upon the children

Frequently Asked Questions about Children

What does "Children" mean?

"Children" means a young person especially between infancy and puberty. As an a noun, a phrase and an adjective, it is defined as: a young person especially between infancy and puberty. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Children"?

Other words for "Children" include bairns, bambinos, buds, chaps, chicks, cubs, juveniles and kiddies. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Children" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Children"?

There are 108 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Children". Common alternatives include bairns, bambinos, buds, chaps, chicks, cubs, juveniles, kiddies, kiddos and kids.

What is the opposite of "Children"?

Antonyms of "Children" include adults, grown-ups, antecedents, causations, causes, occasions and reasons. Near antonyms include middle-agers, ancients, elders and golden-agers.

How do you use "Children" in a sentence?

Examples of "Children" in a sentence: "an imaginative animated film that appeals to adults as well as to children"; "wrapped the child in a blanket before taking him outside in the cold"; "widespread stress is the child of the frenetic pace of the modern world".

Is "Children" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Children" can be used as a noun, a phrase and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Children"?

"Children" is pronounced /ˈchī(-ə)ld/ as a noun and /ˈfȯ-stər/ as an adjective.

What is the origin of the word "Children"?

"Children" comes from Middle English, from Old English cild; akin to Goth kilthei womb, and perhaps to Sanskrit jaṭhara belly. First known use: before 12th century.