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Is the word kid slang?
Some people worry that kid, when used of a child rather than a juvenile goat, is either slang or too colloquial to merit acceptance in standard English.
The fact is that we have been using kid to refer to a child that is human, rather than goatish, for more than three hundred years now. The Oxford English Dictionary notes that although this word was considered “low slang” when it first began being used, it had entered “familiar speech” by the 19th century.
In contemporary English, kid is neither slang nor improper. It is, however, most definitely informal, so those writing professionally or in a formal register might prefer to use child.
Synonyms
Examples of kid in a Sentence
Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Roblox is adding some new restrictions to its game platform for minors under 13.
Roblox will not let kids under the age of 13 play, search for, or discover unrated experiences as of Dec. 3.
—Jibin Joseph, PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024
Denise Petski, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2024
For even more kid gift guides, check out our list of best gifts for four year olds and five year olds.
—Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 27 Sep. 2024
Suzanne Hayes, Parents, 31 Oct. 2024
And Apple isn’t kidding about finding a quiet space to take this test.
—Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for kid 
Dictionary Entries Near kid
Cite this Entry
“Kid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kid. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
kid
2 of 2 verb
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