suaugusiuosius

Suaugusieji is the Lithuanian term for adults, referring to people who have reached maturity and, in most contexts, the age of legal majority. The word is formed from the adjective suaugęs meaning “grown” or “mature” with the plural noun ending -ieji; in the accusative plural, the form suaugusiuosius is used. The nominative plural suaugusieji is used when adults are the subject of a sentence.

In legal and policy contexts, adulthood is defined as 18 years of age in Lithuania; at that age a person generally gains full civil rights, such as the right to vote and to enter into contracts. In other contexts, rights and restrictions may depend on age for activities like driving or drinking, but 18 is the standard age of majority.

In sociolinguistics and statistics, suaugusieji serves as a common demographic category used to distinguish adults from children and youths for labor market, health, and social policy analyses. The term also appears in education and public life to describe institutions and programs aimed at adults, such as suaugusiųjų mokykla (adult school) or suaugusiųjų universitetas.

Notes: The term is neutral and widely used in formal and informal language. While synonyms such as other descriptors may appear in some contexts, suaugusieji remains the standard Lithuanian term for the adult population.