adult child
/ˌadʌlt ˈtʃʌɪld/noun
1Originally in religious or legal use: a son or daughter who has reached the age of discretion or majority. Subsequently: a son or daughter who has reached adulthood.
2 Psychology (originally and chiefly US ). An adult who grew up in a dysfunctional family, especially in the care of a parent or guardian with an addiction (frequently alcoholism).
3An adult who retains the qualities or characteristics typical of children; especially one who is not fully developed emotionally or socially.
Origin
Mid 17th century; earliest use found in Samuel Fisher (bap. 1604, d. 1665), Quaker preacher and writer. From adult + child.
- mediocritizing
- mediocrity
- medio-palatal
- medio-passive
- medipectus
- Medising
- Medism
- meditate
- meditation
- meditational
- meditationist
- meditative
- meditatively
- meditativeness
- meditator
- Mediterranean
- Mediterranean anaemia
- Mediterranean anemia
- Mediterranean back
- Mediterranean blue
- Mediterranean climate
- Mediterranean diet
- Mediterranean fever
- Mediterranean flour moth
- Mediterranean fruit fly