2adult adjective
always used before a noun except in sense 2 1 : fully grown and developed
▪ an adult student/learner ▪ adult birds ▪ I've worked here all of my adult life. [=I've worked here since I became an adult] ▪ preparing children for adult life 2 [more adult; most adult] : mature and sensible : not childish
▪ We need to approach this in an adult way. ▪ an adult decision/choice/responsibility 3 : of or intended for adults
▪ adult literacy ▪ adult learning 4 : dealing with sexual material
▪ adult bookstores/movies
▪ an adult student/learner ▪ adult birds ▪ I've worked here all of my adult life. [=I've worked here since I became an adult] ▪ preparing children for adult life
▪ We need to approach this in an adult way. ▪ an adult decision/choice/responsibility
▪ adult literacy ▪ adult learning
▪ adult bookstores/movies
— adult·hood 
/əˈdʌltˌhʊd/ noun, plural adult·hoods
[noncount] ▪ preparing children for adulthood [count] ▪ preparing children for their adulthoods
/əˈdʌltˌhʊd/ noun, plural adult·hoods [noncount] ▪ preparing children for adulthood [count] ▪ preparing children for their adulthoods
