Spock-marked
adj ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 Spoiled by an overly permissive upbringing. derogatory
"1970, Raymond Apthorpe, University of Sussex. Institute of Development Studies, People Planning and Development Studies: Some Reflections on Social Planning Governments might, like those of America and Canada, produce cheap brochures explaining to parents how to bring up honest, unanxious, kindly, non-bed-wetting, co-operative children. And that in rich countries with high literacy levels such advice has its effect can hardly be doubted by anyone who has had recent contact in universities with the first Spock-marked generation of middle-class children trained in habits of autonomy from an early age. ('No, darling, it's up to you. At two and a half you are old enough to choose yourself whether to wear trousers or a skirt.')"
Example
More examples"1970, Raymond Apthorpe, University of Sussex. Institute of Development Studies, People Planning and Development Studies: Some Reflections on Social Planning Governments might, like those of America and Canada, produce cheap brochures explaining to parents how to bring up honest, unanxious, kindly, non-bed-wetting, co-operative children. And that in rich countries with high literacy levels such advice has its effect can hardly be doubted by anyone who has had recent contact in universities with the first Spock-marked generation of middle-class children trained in habits of autonomy from an early age. ('No, darling, it's up to you. At two and a half you are old enough to choose yourself whether to wear trousers or a skirt.')"
Etymology
Blend of Spock + pockmarked, in reference to the influential approach of Benjamin Spock (1903–1998), American pediatrician.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.