adulthood

/əˈdʌlthʊd/

/əˈdʌlthʊd/

Other forms: adulthoods

When you stop growing and start shaving, you are in adulthood — a point where you reach maturity. Unfortunately, physical adulthood does not necessarily imply that psychological adulthood is present.

Adulthood implies a maturity of sorts, whether it be physical or psychological. In many cultures, adulthood is marked with a “coming of age” ritual. In Judaism for example, adulthood is marked by the Bat Mitzvah for girls (age 12) and the Bar Mitzvah for boys (age 13) — in which the girl or boy is considered to have reached adulthood within the community.

Definitions of adulthood

1. noun

   the period of time in your life after your physical growth has stopped and you are fully developed
   synonyms: maturity

   types:

   prime, prime of life

   the time of maturity when power and vigor are greatest

   type of:

   time of life

   a period of time during which a person is normally in a particular life state
2. noun

   the state (and responsibilities) of a person who has attained maturity
   types:

   manhood

   the state of being a man; manly qualities

   parentage, parenthood

   the state of being a parent

   muliebrity, womanhood

   the state of being an adult woman

   type of:

   matureness, maturity

   state of being mature; full development