Standard Lemma guide

parentification

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A process of role reversal whereby a child is obliged to act as a parent to its own parent or sibling.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, psychology, sciences, social-science, sociology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: parentization

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From parent + -ification.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 親職化 /亲职化 (qīnzhíhuà) — a process of role reversal whereby a child is obliged to act as parent to its own parent
  • French: parentification — a process of role reversal whereby a child is obliged to act as parent to its own parent
  • German: Parentifizierung — a process of role reversal whereby a child is obliged to act as parent to its own parent
  • German: Parentifikation — a process of role reversal whereby a child is obliged to act as parent to its own parent
  • Hungarian: parentifikáció — a process of role reversal whereby a child is obliged to act as parent to its own parent
  • Hungarian: szülősítés — a process of role reversal whereby a child is obliged to act as parent to its own parent
  • Polish: parentyfikacja — a process of role reversal whereby a child is obliged to act as parent to its own parent