adult
UK[ˈædʌlt]US[əˈdʌlt]
n
A person or animal that is fully grown or developed.
adj
Fully grown or developed.
Morpheme Breakdown
ad
ult
ad
to, toward
ult
grown
Etymology
The word 'adult' originates from the Latin verb 'adolescere,' meaning "to grow up." Its past participle is 'adultus,' which literally translates to "having grown up" or "nourished to maturity." This participle is formed from the prefix 'ad-' (toward) and the root from 'alere' (to nourish). Over time, the term was adopted into English to describe the state of being fully grown, shifting from the process of growing to the completed result.
Analysis
Structure: ad (to, toward) + ult (grown)
- ad: Latin prefix meaning "to, toward, at."
- ult: From the Latin past participle stem 'ult-' of the verb 'alere' (to nourish, grow).
Examples
The museum offers discounted tickets for children, but adults must pay the full price.
She is now an adult and can make her own decisions.
The adult birds teach their young how to fly.