puerile

UK: /ˈpjʊəraɪl/

US: /ˈpjuərɪl, -əˌraɪl, ˈpjʊrɪl, -aɪl/

US: (pyo̅o̅′ər il, -ə rīl′, pyŏŏr′il, -īl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pu•er•ile /ˈpyuərɪl, -əˌraɪl, ˈpyʊrɪl, -aɪl/   adj. 

1. childishly foolish;
   immature;
   silly:
   puerile jokes.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pu•er•ile  (pyo̅o̅′ər il, -ə rīl′, pyŏŏr′il, -īl), adj. 

1. Developmental Biology of or pertaining to a child or to childhood.
2. childishly foolish;
   immature or trivial:
   a puerile piece of writing.

• Latin puerīlis boyish, equivalent. to puer boy + -īlis -ile
• 1650–60

pu′er•ile•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. youthful, juvenile.
• 2. juvenile, silly.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

puerile / ˈpjʊəraɪl/ adjective

1. exhibiting silliness; immature; trivial
2. of or characteristic of a child

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin puerīlis childish, from puer a boy

ˈpuerilely adverb

puerility / pjʊəˈrɪlɪtɪ/ noun