nonage

American  

[non-ij, noh-nij] / ˈnɒn ɪdʒ, ˈnoʊ nɪdʒ /

noun

1. the period of legal minority, or of an age below 21.

2. any period of immaturity.

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nonage British  

/ ˈnəʊnɪdʒ /

noun

1. law the state of being under any of various ages at which a person may legally enter into certain transactions, such as the making of binding contracts, marrying, etc

2. any period of immaturity

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Etymology

Origin of nonage

1350–1400; late Middle English < Middle French ( non-, age ); replacing Middle English nownage < Anglo-French nounage; Middle French as above

Example Sentences

Kant saw humanity living deeply irrational lives in a state of self-imposed nonage, capable of being rescued only by an enlightened but autocratic ruler.

From Slate • Aug. 31, 2016

The founding father of black humor in a new, splendidly gutty translation of his classic about the bitter, unbreakable orphan whose childhood and nonage were a lugubrious epic of squalor, filth, misery and hatred.

From Time Magazine Archive

His "hoy," "bunk" and "bull" stories, his hoaxes, false fronts and fabrications were easily detected and. cast out when he was in his professional nonage.

From Time Magazine Archive

But they who so use this saying simply remand us to the childhood of the church, to the spiritual nonage of the ante-Pentecostal days.

From The Ministry of the Spirit by Gordon, A. J. (Adoniram Judson)

This is clearly at direct issue with Ben Jonson, whose introduced phrases, "pleaded nonage," "wardship," "pupillage," &c., seem to smack too much of legal technology to countenance the supposition of poetic license.

From Notes and Queries, Number 204, September 24, 1853 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. by Bell, George