Child

A child (plural: children) is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty,[1][2] or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty.[3] It may also refer to an unborn human being.[4][5] The legal definition of child generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority.[1] Children generally have fewer rights and responsibilities than adults. They are classed as unable to make serious decisions.

From top left to right: Girl receiving midsummer crown in Sweden, girl at kindergarten entrance ceremony in Japan, children at Nativity play in Argentina, boy playing in Nigeria

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Child may also describe a relationship with a parent (such as sons and daughters of any age)[6] or, metaphorically, an authority figure, or signify group membership in a clan, tribe, or religion; it can also signify being strongly affected by a specific time, place, or circumstance, as in "a child of nature" or "a child of the Sixties."[7]