adulting
/əˈdʌltɪŋ/
noun/verb
Origin
English
adult — fully grown person
Overview
Meaning Now
- The practice of behaving in a way characteristic of a responsible adult, especially the completion of mundane but necessary tasks.
- The informal process of transitioning into adulthood or managing the responsibilities associated with it.
Language path
Latin → English
Earliest form
adulting
Earliest period
early 21st century
Journey
The term emerged in digital culture to describe the irony of finding everyday tasks—such as paying bills, grocery shopping, or scheduling appointments—to be significant achievements worthy of recognition, often used by millennials and Gen Z to acknowledge the difficulty of independent living.
Evolution
- Latin (past participle of adolescere)
adultus
“grown up; matured”
- Middle English
adult
“a person who is fully grown”
- 21st Century English
adulting
“performing responsible adult tasks”
Gerund formation from the noun 'adult' used as a verb.
Connections
Word parts
adult
root
a fully grown person
-ing
suffix
forming a gerund or present participle
Related across languages
French
adulte
adult
Spanish
adulto
adult
Explore next
Related to adulting
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.