Child (chīld), n.; pl.Children (chĭl"drĕn). [AS. cild, pl. cildru; cf. Goth. kilþei womb, in-kilþō with child.]

1.A son or a daughter; a male or female descendant, in the first degree; the immediate progeny of human parents; -- in law, legitimate offspring. Used also of animals and plants.

2. A descendant, however remote; -- used esp. in the plural; as, the children of Israel; the children of Edom.

3. One who, by character of practice, shows signs of relationship to, or of the influence of, another; one closely connected with a place, occupation, character, etc.; as, a child of God; a child of the devil; a child of disobedience; a child of toil; a child of the people.

4. A noble youth. See Childe. [Obs.] Chaucer.

5. A young person of either sex. esp. one between infancy and youth; hence, one who exhibits the characteristics of a very young person, as innocence, obedience, trustfulness, limited understanding, etc.

When I was child. I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 1. Cor. xii. 11.

6. A female infant. [Obs.]

A boy or a child, I wonder? Shak.

"To be with child, to be pregnant. - - Childs play, light work; a trifling contest."

Child , v. i. [imp. & p. p. Childed; p. pr. & vb. n.Childing.] To give birth; to produce young.

This queen Genissa childing died. Warner.

It chanced within two days they childed both. Latimer.

-- Webster's unabridged 1913