Puerilities

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality of exhibiting extreme childishness involves behaviors that reflect immaturity and a lack of seriousness in actions or attitudes
2. A disposition characterized by naivety and a playful silliness often manifests in behaviors associated with immaturity
3. The state of being excessively childlike encompasses displays of triviality and foolishness as well as a tendency to act without maturity or seriousness

Etymology: "Puerilities" is simply the plural of "puerility," so it refers to multiple instances of childish behaviour or foolish trifles. The noun traces back to Latin "puer," meaning "boy," which gave rise to the adjective "puerilis," meaning "childish" or "juvenile." Latin then formed "puerilitas" from that adjective, and the word passed through Middle French "puérilité" into Middle English as "puerilite." The English word is therefore built from the adjective "puerile" plus the suffix "-ity," which turns an adjective into a noun of quality. Its earliest form in English carried the same sense it has today: the state of being boyish or immature, with the plural used for the individual acts that show it.

Synonyms: foolishness, silliness, naivety

Antonyms: maturity, wisdom