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Period in the human life span in which full physical and intellectual maturity have been attained. Adulthood is commonly thought of as beginning at age 20 or 21. It includes middle age (commencing around age 40) and old age (from about age 60). Physically, it is characterized by the peaking (around age 30) and gradual decline of bodily functioning; the postpeak phase includes diminished acuity of the senses, reduction in muscular and skeletal mass, buildup of cholesterol in the arteries, weakening of the heart muscle, and diminished production of hormones. Some slowing in the rate of central-nervous-system processing also begins with middle age, but it is generally compensated for by an increased capacity to retain practical information and apply accumulated cultural knowledge. In old age, most individuals experience a significant decline in physical capacity, and many eventually also suffer impaired mental function.

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Word Tutor: adulthood
pronunciation

IN BRIEF: The state of being fully grown-up, leaving childhood and adolescence behind.

pronunciation Lilly went to college as soon as she reached adulthood.

 
Quotes About: Adulthood

Quotes:

"In my case, adulthood itself was not an advance, although it was a useful waymark." - Nicholson Baker

"The distinction between children and adults, while probably useful for some purposes, is at bottom a specious one, I feel. There are only individual egos, crazy for love." - Don Barthelme

"What is an adult? A child blown up by age." - Simone De Beauvoir

"Men are but children of a larger growth, Our appetites as apt to change as theirs, And full as craving too, and full as vain." - John Dryden

"We have not passed that subtle line between childhood and adulthood until we move from the passive voice to the active voice -- that is, until we have stopped saying It got lost, and say, I lost it." - Sidney J. Harris

"A boy becomes an adult three years before his parents think he does, and about two years after he thinks he does." - Lewis B Hershey

See more famous quotes about Adulthood

 
Translations: Adulthood

Dansk (Danish)
n. - voksenalder, voksenlivet

Français (French)
n. - âge adulte

Deutsch (German)
n. - Erwachsenenalter

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - ενηλικότητα

Italiano (Italian)
età adulta

Português (Portuguese)
n. - maioridade (f), maturidade (f), idade (f) da razão

Русский (Russian)
состояние взрослости

Español (Spanish)
n. - edad adulta, madurez, mayoría de edad

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - mogen ålder

中文(简体) (Chinese (Simplified))
成人期

中文(繁體) (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 成人期

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 성인임

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 成人であること, 成年期

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮בגרות‬


 
 

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