man-child
UK[ˈmæn.tʃaɪld]US[ˈmæn.tʃaɪld]
n
An adult man who is immature, irresponsible, or exhibits childish behavior.
n
A man who is emotionally underdeveloped or overly dependent, especially on a partner or parent.
Morpheme Breakdown
man
child
man
adult male
child
young person
Etymology
The compound "man-child" is a modern English formation that directly combines two native English words of Germanic origin. "Man" derives from Proto-Germanic mann-, which originally meant "person" before specializing to mean "adult male," while "child" comes from Proto-Germanic kiltham, of uncertain deeper origin. The compound's logic is transparently literal, juxtaposing the expected maturity of an adult "man" with the immaturity of a "child" to create a powerful pejorative. It follows a long-standing Germanic pattern of creating descriptive compounds, evolving from a potentially neutral descriptor for a male child into its contemporary figurative meaning criticizing a failure to meet social expectations of adult male behavior.
Analysis
Structure: man (adult male) + child (young person)
- man: From Old English 'mann', meaning "person, adult male". Its functional role is to denote the subject as an adult male human.
- child: From Old English 'cild', meaning "fetus, infant, unborn or newly born person". Its functional role is to denote the characteristic of immaturity or youth.
Examples
His refusal to do any chores or manage his finances marked him as a total man-child.
The film's protagonist is a lovable man-child who finally grows up when he becomes a father.
She grew tired of dating man-children who were more interested in video games than building a future.