The word "kids" is a popular way of referring to children. The spelling of this word follows the standard English convention of using the letters "k-i-d-s" to represent the sounds "k" (as in "kite"), "i" (as in "sit"), "d" (as in "dog"), and "s" (as in "sit"). The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcription of "kids" is /kɪdz/, where "/k/" represents the voiceless velar plosive, "/ɪ/" represents the near-close front unrounded vowel, "/d/" represents the voiced alveolar stop, and "/z/" represents the voiced alveolar fricative.
Kids, noun (plural):
1. Used as an informal term for children, generally referring to individuals who are in their younger years or have not yet reached adulthood. Typically, kids are considered to be aged between infancy and adolescence, but the precise age range may vary depending on cultural and regional contexts.
For instance, the term 'kids' commonly includes infants, toddlers, school-age children, and pre-teens, encompassing ages ranging from newborns up to around 12 or 13 years old.
2. In a broader sense, 'kids' can also refer to young animals, specifically offspring or the young of various species, such as goats, chickens, and sheep. This usage aligns with the inherent playful and energetic nature often attributed to children.
The term 'kids' frequently conveys a sense of innocence, curiosity, and vitality associated with youth. It is employed affectionately and colloquially when talking about or addressing young individuals. Additionally, 'kids' may be used in contexts pertaining to education, child-related activities, parenting, and leisure. It is worth noting that while 'kids' is primarily a plural noun, it is widely used in singular to refer to a single child as well. Furthermore, the term is commonly employed as a suffix in compound words like 'kid-friendly' or 'kidnap,' relating to child-specific qualities or actions.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "kids" is derived from the Old Norse word "kið" or "kúða", meaning offspring of goats. It was later adapted into Middle English as "kid", which still referred to young goats. Over time, the word began to be used metaphorically to refer to human children, and by the 17th century, "kid" became a colloquial term for children. The plural form "kids" originated from this usage and is now commonly used to refer to children in general.