Difference between Kid and Child
Key Difference: The word ‘kid’ was originally not even used to refer to human children, but meant a baby goat, but in the 16th century the word was adapted to even include human babies and children. The word ‘child’ comes with three different contexts where legally it can refer to any minor that is under the age of 18. Biologically, the word refers to a young human who hasn’t yet reached puberty and socially it can be used to include any person of any age since everyone who was born was a child to someone.
English is already a complicated language and then there are a few words that mean the same thing but are also different, just to add to the confusion. Baby, children and kid are often used interchangeably, but sometimes the contexts do not fit and sometimes the words can seem out of order. Let’s take a look at ‘kid’ and ‘child’ and break them down to understand the proper context that these words can be used in.
The word ‘kid’ was originally not even used to refer to human children, but meant a baby goat, but in the 16th century the word was adapted to include human babies and children. However, the word is not used in a formal setting rather in an informal setting. The word usually refers to children until they reach teenagers. The word can also be used negatively – to call out adults who may be acting immature.
Examples of ‘kid’:
- How many kids do you have?
- My kid is turning 2 tomorrow.
- You’re kidding me! (When used as a joke)
- You are such a kid sometimes! (When used in a negative sense)
The word child has a varied usage depending on the context of the sentence. It is most commonly used for young humans from babies to teenagers. However, in some places it can also refer to adults, but we’ll get to that. The word ‘child’ comes with three different contexts where legally it can refer to any minor that is under the age of 18. Biologically, the word refers to a young human who hasn’t yet reached puberty and socially it can be used to include any person of any age since everyone who was born was a child to someone. The term is the preferred word to use in a formal setting but can also be used in an informal setting. It also has a similar negative connotation where it can be used to call someone immature.
Examples of ‘child’:
- These are my children, Tom and Mary.
- My children are 24 and 26. (When used in social context)
- Can you please stop acting like a child?! (When used in a negative sense)
As you can see, there are places where the words can be interchangeable and most commonly they often are. However, there are definitely some situations where these two words should definitely not be switched, these include formal settings or when referring to baby goats.
Comparison between Kid and Child:
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Kid |
Child |
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Definition |
Is a slang or an informal word for children |
Legally – a minor under the age of 18 Biologically – a young human before puberty Socially – any person of any age |
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Age |
Doesn’t require any specific age, includes baby to teenager. |
Ideally used to address someone under the age of 13, but can also extend to older people |
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Level of Formality |
Informal, slang |
Formal |
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Alternate Definitions |
Also used for baby goats or to make a joke |
Biologically every person is the child of someone |
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Negative Definition |
Can be used to address an immature person |
Can be used to address an immature person |
Reference: iTalki, Quora, Stack Exchange, Duolingo, Pediaa, Word Reference Image Courtesy: wiktionary.org, campaignforkids.com, crosswalk.com
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