Adult

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: a=dult

CIDE DICTIONARY

Adult, a. [L. adultus, p. p. of adolescere, akin to alere to nourish: cf. F. adulte. See Adolescent, Old.].

 Having arrived at maturity, or to full size and strength; matured; as, an adult person or plant; an adult ape; an adult age.  [1913 Webster]

Adult, n. 

 A person, animal, or plant grown to full size and strength; one who has reached maturity.  [1913 Webster]
" In the common law, the term is applied to a person who has attained full age or legal majority; in the civil law, to males after the age of fourteen, and to females after twelve."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Adult, adj. & n.
--adj.
1 mature, grown-up.
2 a of or for adults (adult education). b euphem. sexually explicit; indecent (adult films).
--n.
1 an adult person.
2 Law a person who has reached the age of majority.

Derivative

adulthood n. adultly adv.

Etymology

L adultus past part. of adolescere grow up: cf. ADOLESCENT

THESAURUS

Adult

aged, big, full-blown, full-fledged, full-grown, grown, grown up, grown-up, marriable, marriageable, mature, matured, maturescent, nubile, of age, of marriageable age, old, ripe, ripened

ROGET THESAURUS

Adult

Adolescence

N adolescence, pubescence, majority, adultism, adultness, manhood, virility, maturity full age, ripe age, flower of age, prime of life, meridian of life, spring of life, man, woman, adult, no chicken, adolescent, pubescent, of age, of full age, of ripe age, out of one's teens, grown up, mature, full grown, in one's prime, middle-aged, manly, virile, adult, womanly, matronly, marriageable, nubile, Time with reference to an Effect or Purpose, adolescence, pubescence, majority, adultism, adultness, manhood, virility, maturity full age, ripe age, flower of age, prime of life, meridian of life, spring of life, man, woman, adult, no chicken, adolescent, pubescent, of age, of full age, of ripe age, out of one's teens, grown up, mature, full grown, in one's prime, middle-aged, manly, virile, adult, womanly, matronly, marriageable, nubile, Time with reference to an Effect or Purpose.