puerile

puerile
\ \ [17] Latin puer denoted ‘child’, or more specifically ‘boy’ (like Greek paischild’, source of English paediatric, pedagogue, etc, it came ultimately from a base which signified ‘smallness’, and also gave English pusillanimous). The derived adjective puerīlischildlike’ began to acquire its negative connotations in Latin, and brought them with it into English. The related puerperalof childbirth’ [18] comes from a Latin compound formed from puer and pareregive birth’ (source of English parent).
\ \ Cf.PUSILLANIMOUS

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Puerile — Pu er*ile, a. [L. puerilis, fr. puer a child, a boy: cf. F. pu[ e]ril.] Boyish; childish; trifling; silly. [1913 Webster] The French have been notorious through generations for their puerile affectation of Roman forms, models, and historic… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • puerile — I adjective asinine, callow, childish, childishly foolish, fatuous, foolish, green, immature, inadequate, inane, infantile, infantine, injudicious, jejune, juvenile, kiddish, naive, nonsensical, petty, piddling, puerilis, raw, senseless, shallow …   Law dictionary

  • puerile — agg. [dal lat. puerilis, der. di puer fanciullo ]. 1. [di o da fanciullo: età p. ; svaghi p. ] ▶◀ bambinesco, fanciullesco, infantile. ◀▶ adulto, da grandi. 2. (estens., spreg.) a. [di ciò che, in un adulto, rivela immaturità, superficialità:… …   Enciclopedia Italiana

  • puerile — 1660s, youthful, boyish, from L. puerilis childish, from puer boy, child (see PUERILITY (Cf. puerility)). Disparaging sense, juvenile, immature, is from 1680s …   Etymology dictionary

  • puerile — *youthful, juvenile, boyish, virgin, virginal, maiden Analogous words: immature, unmatured, unripe: raw, callow, green, *rude Antonyms: adult Contrasted words: virile (see MALE) …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • puerile — [adj] childish babyish, babylike, callow, foolish, green*, immature, inane, inexperienced, infantile, irresponsible, jejune, juvenile, naive, petty, ridiculous, silly, trivial, unfledged, ungrown, weak, young; concepts 401,578,797 Ant. adult,… …   New thesaurus

  • puerile — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ childishly silly and trivial. DERIVATIVES puerility noun (pl. puerilities) . ORIGIN Latin puerilis, from puer boy …   English terms dictionary

  • puerile — [pyo͞o′ər əl, pyoor′əl; pyo͞o′ərīl΄] adj. [< Fr or L: Fr puéril < L puerilis < puer, boy: see POULTRY] childish; silly; immature; trivial SYN. YOUNG puerilely adv …   English World dictionary

  • puerile — pu·e·rì·le agg. 1. BU dei fanciulli, che riguarda i fanciulli: gioco puerile, svago puerile 2a. CO che rivela immaturità, infantilismo: atteggiamento puerile, discorso puerile Sinonimi: bambinesco, bambino, fanciullesco, immaturo, infantile.… …   Dizionario italiano

  • puerile — [[t]pjʊ͟əraɪl, AM r(ə)l[/t]] ADJ GRADED (disapproval) If you describe someone or something as puerile, you mean that they are silly and childish. Concert organisers branded the group s actions as puerile... The story is simple, even puerile.… …   English dictionary

  • puerile — adjective /ˈpjʊə.raɪl,ˈpjʊrɪl,ˈpjʊraɪl/ a) Characteristic of, or pertaining to, a boy or boys; confer: puellile. The French have been notorious through generations for their puerile affectation of Roman forms, models, and historic precedents. b)… …   Wiktionary

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