puerile ness (puerilnes)

The state or character of being puerile; puerility. puerility (pu-e-ril'i-ti), n.; pl. puerilities (-tiz). [= F. puérilité = Sp. puerilidad = Pg. puerili dade It. puerilità, A reserve of puerility not shaken off from school IMG:content-1269.png:[ocr errors] 2. The time of childhood; specifically, in civil law, the period of life from the age of seven years to that of fourteen.-3. That which is puerile; what is characteristic of or done in boyhood; hence, a childish or silly act, thought, or expre ion. Of the learned puerilities of Cowley there is no doubt, since a volume of his poems was not only written, but printed, in his thirteenth year. Johnson, Cowley. One God would not suffice For senile puerility ; thou framedst A tale to suit thy dotage. Shelley, Queen Mab, vi. Even amid the affectation and love of anagrams and puerilities which sullied her later years, Elizabeth remained a lover of letters and of all that was greatest and purest in letters. J. R. Green , Hist. Eng. People, vi. 2. puerperal (pū-èr'pe-ral), a. [= F. puerpéral = Pg. puerperal =It. puerperale, mediately before or after childbirth. - Puerperal eclampsia, puerperal convulsions. - Puerperal fever. See fever1.-Puerperal insanity, insanity occurring during and caused by the puerperal state or during lactation.Puerperal septicemia, septicemia following childbirth; puerperal fever. - Puerperal state, the state of a woman in and immediately following childbirth. puerperally (pu-er'pe-ral-i), adv. From puerperal fever or disorders connected with childbirth.