child abuse

American

noun

mistreatment of a child by a parent or guardian, including neglect, beating, and sexual molestation.

child abuse British

noun

physical, sexual, or emotional ill-treatment or neglect of a child, esp by those responsible for its welfare See also nonaccidental injury

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of child abuse

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Tony, who received the British Empire Medal for services to the prevention of child abuse, told the BBC he was "so happy it's finally happening and that children will be more protected".

From BBC

Even when courts determine no child abuse has occurred, children are being removed from homes through networks of runaway shelters and nonprofits.

From The Wall Street Journal

Still, Polis has urged the federal government to let states ensure that money isn’t going to unsafe schools or people convicted of child abuse.

From The Wall Street Journal

The process was thrown into chaos when the leading candidate ministers hoped to appoint, former Northern Ireland police officer and child abuse expert Jim Gamble, said he was not interested in the job.

From BBC

Now she is campaigning for a change in the law around sentencing guidelines for historical child abuse cases.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023