FromMiddle Englishmanchylde,man-chylde(“a male child”), equivalent toman +child.
manchild (pluralman childrenormen children)
- (informal, chiefly derogatory) Anadultmale who ischildish orimmature.
- Synonym:manbaby
2004,Glen Macnow,Angelo Cataldi,The Great Philadelphia Sports Debate, Middle Atlantic Press, published2004,→ISBN,page161:In the end, Brown said he just couldn't stand another day of trying to run a team with two sets of rules — one for 11 players and the other for theman-child superstar.
- (archaic) Ayoungmalehuman; aboy.
- Synonyms:seeThesaurus:boy
- Antonyms:girlchild,woman child
c.1606 (date written),William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, inMr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, andEd[ward] Blount, published1623,→OCLC,[Act I, scene vii],page135, column 2:Bring forthMen-Children onely: / For thy vndaunted Mettle ſhould compoſe / Nothing but Males.
1891,Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch,The Blue Pavilions:"She is dead," he announced, very gravely and simply.
The hunchback shivered. Captain Runacles neither spoke nor stirred in his chair.
"Aman-child was born at two o'clock. He is alive: his mother died two hours later."- (Set in 1673)
a young male human; a boy
an adult man who is childish or immature
