erwachsener

Erwachsener is a German noun meaning an adult person. The masculine form is der Erwachsener, the feminine form die Erwachsene, and the plural is die Erwachsenen. In general usage the term refers to a person who has reached adulthood, with 18 years being a common threshold in many legal contexts. The word can also appear in a more collective sense, as die Erwachsenen or Erwachsene, to denote adults as a group. As an adjective, erwachsen means grown-up or mature, and its comparative form is erwachsener.

Etymology and grammar: Erwachsener is formed from erwachsen, meaning grown up, with the agentive suffix -er. The related feminine noun is Erwachsene, and the plural form die Erwachsenen is used when talking about adults in general. The adjective form erwachsen is used to describe someone or something that has reached maturity, as in ein erwachsenes Verhalten (a grown-up/mature behavior) or in comparisons such as Er ist erwachsener als ich (He is more grown-up than I am). The superlative am erwachsensten exists but is rarely used in everyday speech.

Usage and scope: In everyday language, der Erwachsener may refer specifically to a male adult, while die Erwachsene refers to a female adult. Die Erwachsenen denotes adults as a group. In social, educational, and policy contexts, Erwachsener and Erwachsene are commonly employed to discuss adulthood, responsibilities, rights, and developmental stages. Legally and socially, adulthood often aligns with Volljährigkeit, which in many countries, including Germany, is reached at 18 years, granting full civil rights and responsibilities.

See also: Volljährigkeit, Erwachsenensein, Jugend, Reife.