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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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 See all Example Sentences for age of consent 

Word History

First Known Use

1504, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of age of consent was in 1504

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 How to pronounce age of consent (audio)
: 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

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