adultification means the treatment of a non-adult as an adult. It carries an Arena rating of 1282, earned across 6 head-to-head judged battles.
Why “adultification” is a great word
The imposition of adult roles, responsibilities, or expectations onto a child or young person. From adult (from Latin *adultus*, 'grown up') + -ification (a suffix forming nouns denoting a process of making or becoming). First attested in 1916 in the writing of F. L. Wells. Unlike 'parentification,' which specifically denotes a child's forced assumption of a caregiver's duties within the family, or 'infantilization,' its mirror opposite, adultification is a broader, societal imposition—a collective projection of maturity onto undeveloped shoulders. It is the weight of a too-large blazer on narrow shoulders, the premature demand for emotional composure in the face of adult-sized crises, and the assignment of burdensome practicality where there should be room for wonder; it is the theft of a season, justified as preparation.
Etymology
From adult + -ification.
noun
- The treatment of a non-adult as an adult.