Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

child process
     
         A {process} created by another process (the
        {parent process}).  Each process may create many child
        processes but will have only one parent process, except for
        the very first process which has no parent.  The first
        process, called {init} in {Unix}, is started by the {kernel}
        at {boot time} and never terminates.  A child process inherits
        most of its attributes, such as open files, from its parent.
        In fact in Unix, a child process is created (using {fork}) as
        a copy of the parent.  The chid process can then overlay
        itself with a different program (using {exec}) as required.
     
        (1997-11-22)