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age of consent
noun phrase
: the age at which one is legally competent to give consent especially to marriage or to sexual intercourse
Examples of age of consent in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
One of his accusers was younger than 16, the age of consent in Nevada, when the abuse began, according to the indictment.
—CBS News, 31 Oct. 2024
The age of consent in California is 18, and given how male creators taking advantage of younger female creators isn’t exactly uncommon, the accusation spread throughout TikTok and Reddit, where fans of Ko are particularly conflicted about how to move forward.
—Kate Lindsay, Vulture, 8 July 2024
Most of the largest dating apps, including Grindr, Tinder, Hinge and OK Cupid, require users to be at least 18, though the age of consent in Michigan is 16.
—Jo Yurcaba, NBC News, 9 Oct. 2024
That’s especially true in rural areas where Orthodox Christianity defines the social order, girls are often married before the age of consent, and many hospitals don’t even stock the contraception pills they’re legally obligated to provide.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1504, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near age of consent
Cite this Entry
“Age of consent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/age%20of%20consent. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.
Medical Definition
age of consent
noun
age of con·sent
-kən-ˈsent
: the age at which one is legally competent to give consent especially to marriage or to sexual intercourse
Legal Definition
age of consent
: the age at which a person is deemed competent by law to give consent especially to sexual intercourse or marriage see also statutory rape compare emancipation, legal age
More from Merriam-Webster on age of consent
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about age of consent
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