adulthood

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: adulthoods

Sense 1

Meaning · English

The state or condition, for humans and other animals, of physical and psychological maturity: being an adult.

Noun

Examples

Meronyms: young adulthood; emerging adulthood (sometimes construed as coordinate)

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

The time period of a person's majority, following puberty and lasting until death.

Noun

Examples

Meronyms: young adulthood; emerging adulthood (sometimes construed as coordinate)

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “adulthood” mean?

The state or condition, for humans and other animals, of physical and psychological maturity: being an adult.

Is “adulthood” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.