PUERILE


Meaning of PUERILE in English

ˈpyu̇(ə)rəl, -ˌrīl adjective

Etymology: French or Latin; French puéril, from Latin puerilis, from puer boy, girl, child + -ilis -ile; akin to Greek pais child — more at few

1.

a. : of or relating to childhood : boyish

puerile humility … we used to show to the world — Corra Harris

mocking is the first puerile form of wit, playing with surfaces without sympathy — George Santayana

b. : unworthy of an adult : immature , childish

the puerile and half-educated mind — Bernhard Berenson

great affairs of men in society are carried on as if they were … puerile and degrading farces — R.P.Blackmur

2. : characteristic of or resembling that of children — used of respiration

puerile breathing is louder than normal vesicular breathing — R.M.Goepp & H.F.Flippin

Synonyms: see youthful

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.