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There is a specific term, and it keeps evading me, that refers to an adult who still embraces child-like wonder, curiosity, etc....

Not inferring a child-like or infantile adult, i.e. someone with a disorder.

I believe it begins with "N". Anyone who may know, your input would greatly be appreciated.

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    Childlike: does not necessarily suggest disorder of any kind: Like or befitting a child, as in innocence, trustfulness, or candor. thefreedictionary.com/childlike
    – user66974
    Commented May 18, 2015 at 14:32
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    Childlike is usually positive. The negative version is childish.
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented May 18, 2015 at 14:34
  • Naive comes to mind - other synonyms are ingenuous, innocent
    – mplungjan
    Commented May 18, 2015 at 14:34
  • 'starry=eyed threw up the following 'nn's: nephelococcygeal adj, unworldly. cloud nine, non-realistic.
    – Hugh
    Commented May 18, 2015 at 15:10
  • What did a thesaurus recommend (and can you tell us what wasn't good about those)?
    – Mitch
    Commented May 18, 2015 at 18:13

4 Answers 4

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Naive is probably the term you are looking for:

  • Lacking worldly experience and understanding, especially:
  • Simple and guileless; artless: a child with a naive charm.

The Free Dictionary

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  • Yup as commented already
    – mplungjan
    Commented May 18, 2015 at 14:35
  • @mplungjan - didn't see your comment, I was just writing mine, sorry.
    – user66974
    Commented May 18, 2015 at 14:36
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Jejune

Jejune [adjective]
Naive, simplistic, and superficial: (Oxford)

Ludic

Free spirit

“I like to be a free spirit. Some don't like that, but that's the way I am.” ― Diana Princess of Wales

irresponsible

Uncommitted

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Immature, infantile, puerile, spontaneous, all these words come to mind when we talk about an adult who shows a child-like curiosity.

spontaneous (adj)

  • "done or said in a natural and often sudden way and without a lot of thought or planning"
  • "doing things that have not been planned but that seem enjoyable and worth doing at a particular time" Merriam-Webster
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Neoteny - i was just trying to remember it and the "N" in the above comment zapped it right back into my brain.

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  • This would be better if you included a dictionary definition too.
    – KillingTime
    Commented Jul 22, 2020 at 5:21
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    Neoteny is a great word, but it seems to be used primarily in physiological accounts of juvenile (versus adult) characteristics, rather than in a figurative sense for childlike behavior or naivete. I second KillingTime's recommendation that you provide a linked dictionary definition of neoteny in support of your suggestion—and will be happy to upvote your answer if you do so. You'll find one such definition here, although—again—it doesn't seem entirely applicable to the situation that the original poster asks about.
    – Sven Yargs
    Commented Jul 22, 2020 at 6:21

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