Definition, synonyms and related words
plural of adult
"The school announced that all adults must sign a waiver before attending the field trip."
In plain English: Adults are grown-up people who have finished growing and can make their own decisions.
"The adults at the party were talking while the children played outside."
Usage: Use adults to refer to fully grown human beings who have reached legal maturity, distinct from children or adolescents. This term often appears in contexts discussing parental rights, voting qualifications, or age-restricted activities.
Derived from Latin adul- (meaning to grow up) + -tus (a suffix indicating past action), it originally referred to someone who had reached full growth or maturity. The term entered English via Old French in the 14th century to denote a person of legal age and responsibility.