Adultify

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To transform or represent something as more mature or suitable for adults; to make an individual or concept appear older or more grown-up; to apply adult characteristics or qualities to a previously juvenile subject
2. To cause something to adopt qualities or traits typically associated with grown-ups; to modify or adapt a youthful idea or person into an adult version; to confer maturity upon a younger entity in appearance or behavior
3. To change or influence the status of a person or thing by imparting adult features or responsibilities; to reframe youthful aspects with a more mature perspective; to render something appropriate for an adult audience or context

Etymology: "Adultify" is built from "adult" plus the suffix "-ify," which turns nouns and adjectives into verbs meaning "to make into" or "to make like" the base. So "adultify" means to make something seem adult, as in treating or presenting a child as though they were older than they are. The word is most likely a back-formation from "adultification," the noun for that process. Back-formation works in reverse: speakers see a longer noun ending in a familiar suffix, such as "-ation," and strip it away to create a shorter verb. Here, "adultification" was probably formed first from "adult" plus "-ification," and "adultify" was then carved out of it.

Synonyms: mature, age, grow up, develop

Antonyms: juvenilize, immature, childify