— childless , adj. — childlessness , n.
/chuyld/ , n. , pl. children .
1. a person between birth and full growth; a boy or girl: books for children.
2. a son or daughter: All my children are married.
3. a baby or infant.
4. a human fetus.
5. a childish person: He's such a child about money.
6. a descendant: a child of an ancient breed.
7. any person or thing regarded as the product or result of particular agencies, influences, etc.: Abstract art is a child of the 20th century.
8. a person regarded as conditioned or marked by a given circumstance, situation, etc.: a child of poverty; a child of famine.
9. Brit. Dial. Archaic. a female infant.
10. Archaic. childe.
11. with child , pregnant: She's with child.
[ bef. 950; ME; OE cild; akin to Goth kilthai womb ]