I. Lit., boyish, childish, youthful (class.): “puerili specie, senili prudentiā,” Cic. Div. 2, 23, 50: “aetas,” id. Arch. 3, 4; cf. “tempus,” Ov. M. 6, 719: “disciplina,” Cic. N. D. 1, 26, 72; id. Rep. 4, 3, 3: “institutio,” id. de Or. 2, 1, 1: “doctrina,” id. ib. 3, 31, 125; Quint. 1, 1, 9: “delectatio,” Cic. Fin. 1, 21, 72: “regnum,” Liv. 1, 3: “blanditiae,” Ov. M. 6, 626: “manus,” Cels. 3, 27, 3: “ostrum,” the prœtexta, Stat. S. 5, 2, 66: “agmen,” a troop of boys, Verg. A. 5, 548.—In distinction from virgineus: “(faciem) virgineam in puero, puerilem in virgine possis (dicere),” boyish, Ov. M. 8, 323.—
B. In partic., in mal. part.: “officium,” Plaut. Cist. 4, 1, 5: “supplicium,” Mart. 2, 60, 2; and absol. puerile, id. 9, 67, 3; cf.: “puerile obtulit corollarium,” App. M. 3, p. 138, 13; Hyg. Fab. 189.—
II. Transf., boyish, childish, puerile, trivial, silly (rare but class.): “acta illa res est animo virili, consilio puerili,” Cic. Att. 14, 21, 3: “sententia,” Ter. Phorm. 5, 7, 56: “vota,” Ov. Tr. 3, 8, 11: “res (with insubidae, inertes),” Gell. 18, 8, 1: “isagogae,” id. 1, 2, 6: “puerile est,” Ter. And. 2, 6, 18.—Comp.: “si puerilius his ratio esse evincet amare,” Hor. S. 2, 3, 250. —Hence, adv.: pŭĕrīlĭtĕr , like a child: “ludentes,” Phaedr. 3, 8, 5: “blandiri,” Liv. 21, 1.—
B. Childishly, foolishly, sillily: “stultus,” Plaut. Pers. 4, 4, 42; Cic. Fin. 1, 6, 19: “facere,” id. Ac. 2, 11, 33; 2, 17, 54; Tac. H. 4, 86.