Children: meaning, definitions and examples

General term for young humans, often used in both formal and informal contexts.

• The school bus will pick up the children at 8 AM.
• She has three children, all under the age of ten.

Informal term often used in casual conversation. Suitable for friendly or familiar settings.

• Do you know what the kids want for dinner?
• The kids are playing in the backyard.

Typically used in legal or academic contexts to refer to young people, especially in the context of behavior or crime.

• The juvenile court deals with cases involving minors.
• Juveniles are more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviors.

A formal and somewhat technical term referring to one's biological children, often used in scientific or formal contexts.

• The bird is known to protect its offspring aggressively.
• These plants produce numerous offspring each season.

Informal term often used affectionately to refer to young people or children, typically in a positive or neutral context.

• The youngsters are excited about the upcoming field trip.
• Those youngsters really bring a lot of energy to the team.

Used in everyday conversation to refer to young humans in general or one's own kids.

• She has three children who go to the local school
• Children love playing in the park

Usually used in more formal contexts to refer to people related to a particular person or group who lived in the past.

• The descendants of the ancient royal family still live in the area
• Future generations will learn about their ancestors through stories passed down by descendants

A formal or literary term for descendants or offspring, often implying multiple generations or a sense of legacy.

• The artist's progeny included several successful painters
• This species has very few progeny, making it vulnerable to extinction

A more technical or formal term often used in scientific contexts to describe the young of people, animals, or plants.

• The scientist studied the offspring of the breeding pair
• Offspring of those plants tend to grow faster

Used when discussing inheritance or someone who is legally entitled to receive property or a title after someone dies.

• She is the heir to her grandmother's estate
• The king's heir will take the throne next year