puerile Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective of or characteristic of a child
    • puerile breathing
  2. adjective satellite displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity
    juvenile; jejune; adolescent.
    • adolescent insecurity
    • jejune responses to our problems
    • their behavior was juvenile
    • puerile jokes

WordNet

Pu"er*ile adjective
Etymology
L. puerilis, fr. puer a child, a boy: cf. F. puéril.
Definitions
  1. Boyish; childish; trifling; silly.
    The French have been notorious through generations for their puerile affectation of Roman forms, models, and historic precedents. De Quincey.
    Syn. -- Youthful; boyish; juvenile; childish; trifling; weak. See Youthful.

Webster 1913